Sweet Sixteen
by Lila1
Summary: Epilogue is finally finished! Rejoice, everyone! It's Sakura's 16th birthday (in the first 3 chapters, but it gets alot more serious later) S&S. The exciting conclusion has been posted FINALLY, so please R&R!!!!!!!
1. Default Chapter Title

SWEET SIXTEEN   
Chapter 1  
  
~ Okay, so, this is my fanfic. It's my first one, so   
if you think it sucks, that's my excuse. As you'll be able to tell,  
  
I'm making this up as I go along. I haven't seen that many episodes or whatever,  
but here it is anyways.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I've seen this kind of thing in all the fanfics I've read,  
so I thought I better write one.  
  
Disclaimer?  
These characters don't belong to me.  
(IwishIwishIwishIwish)  
They all belong to CLAMP.  
I wish I were Clamp. Then they would be mine,  
ALL MINE!!!!!!!! (Evil laughter)  
But I'm not. So they don't.  
Cheese poopers.(don't laugh at my stupid saying!)   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was a chilly spring evening in Sakura's town, the night of her sixteenth birthday. She  
  
was soooooooo excited! Her friends Tomoyo (Madison) and Chelsea were coming to her   
  
house at five o'clock to take her out to see a movie, but she suspected something else was  
  
going to happen, because for the past week, whenever she approached her group of friends,  
  
someone would always say 'Shhhhhhh! She's coming". Did they think she was deaf or   
  
something? It seemed like it. Just then, Sakura's phone rang.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Sakura? Is that you?"  
  
"NO, it's my father," she said sarcastically. "Of course it's me."  
  
"It's Tomoyo. Are you ready to go?"  
  
" I was born ready."  
  
"What movie do you want to see?"  
  
"I don't know. I'll have to see when we get to the cinema"  
  
"All right, well, we're going to come pick you up now."  
  
"Okay, see you soon." (Hangs up the phone)  
  
Sakura looked at herself in the mirror. Kero-Chan flew over and perched on her shoulder.  
  
"Wow Sakura, you're too dressed up to be going someplace where you'll be sitting in the  
  
dark the whole time .Is there something you wanna tell old Kero? This hasn't got anything to do with a boy, does it?"  
  
Sakura blushed slightly.  
  
'I wish' she thought to herself. 'There's only one boy I like, and I'll never see him again.'  
  
"No. I think my friends are having a surprise party for me," she said to Kero instead.  
  
All of a sudden she heard a car horn honk.  
  
"That'll be the girls. Bye Kero!"  
  
Sakura ran down the stairs and out the door to Tomoyo's mother's red sports car. None of them had their licenses yet.  
  
Three hours later, Sakura returned looking slightly glum.  
  
"Party didn't go well, huh?"Kero asked.  
  
"What party? There was no party."  
  
"Well, was the movie good?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, I guess. That American actor was kinda cute. What a weird name though. What was it again? Matt Damon or something. We went out for pizza after the movie too."  
  
"Well, I think you'd better go get me a little snack. It might help you feel better. You know, comfort food. Tonight I'm thinkin' a couple of Twinkies and some cheese cake would be good."  
  
"You better watch it or you'll get so fat you won't be able to fly."  
  
"Too bad."  
  
Sakura went down stairs to get them some snacks. She was just slamming the cupboard   
  
when she heard a thud, then what sounded like hissing. She decided to ignore it. 'Probably  
  
just Kero playing video games' she thought to herself. She took some junk food out of the  
  
cupboard, and turned out the kitchen light when she heard something else.   
  
BANG, then hissing again. It sounded like it was coming from the basement.  
  
Sakura approached the door to the basement. 'Something must be down there,' she  
  
thought, 'But what?'  
  
She opened the door at the top of the stairs a bit. What met her was a purple, luminescent  
  
glow, and mist began swirling on the floor at her feet. She gasped.  
  
'If Li were here, he'd tell me how hopeless I am. But then again, Li is in Hong-Kong, and  
  
there's no way this is a Clow card. I captured them all.'  
  
All of a sudden, the light in the basement started flickering.  
  
She grabbed a Ginsu knife off the kitchen counter and leaned against the door.  
  
'Whatever's in the basement, I'm going to have to face it.'   
  
Sakura slowly opened the door and began descending the stairs. As her foot hit the top step   
  
with a creak, she heard it again, only the hissing was louder now. The light went out.  
  
"Who's there?" she yelled into the darkness.  
  
No answer.  
  
"I'm warning you! I've got a BIG knife, so you better get out of my house!"  
  
What was that sound? Evil snickering?  
  
Sakura reached the light switch at the bottom of the stairs, took a deep breath, flicked   
  
on the light, and ……………………………………….  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
OOOOOOH…Suspense!  
Well, what do you guys think? Kinda scary? There'll be more characters in the next chapter, so don't worry. I might even put……………nah, I'm not gonna tell you. You'll just have to read it to find out. TTFN ;)  
  



	2. Default Chapter Title

  
SWEET SIXTEEN  
  
Chapter2  
  
I'm ba-ack.  
Okay, I guess you want to read the rest of  
the story, huh?  
Well, if you reeeeeely want to, I guess you  
can, so I guess I better get on with it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As you know, these characters aren't mine.They are CLAMP's.But there's nothing I can do about it!  
(Sobbing uncontrollably)  
NNNNOOOOOOOOO! Why couldn't I come up with awesome characters like that!?  
  
Sakura: Because you're not a genius.  
  
Me: Hey! Did I say you could talk?  
  
Sakura: I don't need your permiss….  
  
ME: Who's Writing this story, you or me?  
  
Sakura: ……………  
  
Me: That's what I thought.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Sakura nearly had a heart attack.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" she screamed, jumping three feet off the ground.  
  
"Whoa, chill out Sakura. A little jumpy today," Zachary said.  
  
"What's with the knife?" Nikki asked.  
  
"I thought…you guys…I heard…" she stammered.  
  
"She thought we were a monster!" said Kris, the new boy at their high school, grinning.  
  
Sakura sweat dropped. "Hey, that's not fair! You guys really scared me!"  
  
"I knew we shouldn't have invited that guy," Tomoyo said jokingly. "As long as   
  
you've got a knife with you, we can cut the cake!"  
  
"Look at you, all dressed up. Some people might think you suspected something,"   
  
Chelsea said playfully.  
  
Sakura blushed, thinking she meant something totally different than what she did.  
  
It was all starting to sink in. The purple glow of a black light, fog from a fog making   
  
machine, and a flickering strobe light. It seemed like all the people she knew were  
  
there, so the hisses were no doubt them telling each other to be quiet. Yep, everyone   
  
was there.  
  
'Everyone,' she thought to herself, 'except the most important person of all.'  
  
She closed her eyes for a second and remembered that person. A boy with amber   
  
eyes, who blushed easily, and who had probably forgotten all about her.  
  
Sakura opened her eyes and returned to reality. Zachary was blaring the music. She  
  
could feel the bass shaking the floor.  
  
'Well, no use being sad. I may as well enjoy myself.' She thought, as she joined in the party.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was hours later, and bunches of people were standing outside the house. It was  
  
getting to be so hot in the basement. They had probably produced enough body   
  
heat to warm a city block.  
  
Sakura and Tomoyo were sitting on the couch having a drink of water. 'M.C.   
  
Zachary' decided to play a slow song for the first time all night.  
  
Sakura was laughing hysterically at something Nikki told her when someone   
  
approached them .It was definitely not someone they knew from school, yet he held   
  
out his hand to Sakura.  
  
"M…May I have this dance?" he asked hesitantly.  
  
Sakura looked at Tomoyo as if to say, 'Who's this?'  
  
Tomoyo shrugged her shoulders as if reading her mind.  
  
Sakura looked back at the boy "Sure."  
  
His eyes seemed to sparkle hopefully when she said that.  
  
The boy danced like an angel, and he was definitely 'on cloud nine,' as they say.  
  
The song was almost over when Kris tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"Mind if I cut in?" It was more like an order than a question. The happy expression  
  
  
faded from the boy's face. Figuring that Sakura and Kris were dating, He turned   
  
and stormed off, looking sad and hurt. Meanwhile Kris started dancing with   
  
Sakura.  
  
Once it sunk into her head what had just happened, Sakura socked Kris in the gut   
  
and went to find the boy. She just caught a glimpse of him as he slipped out the   
  
door. By the time she reached it, he was long gone.  
  
  
Sakura tried to forget him for the next hour and a half until the party was over.   
  
Kris tried to apologize three times before she finally accepted. Even then it was just   
  
to stop him from bothering her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Eventually the party ended and Tomoyo, Rita, Nikki, Chelsea and Sakura were left   
  
to clean the mess up, but the other four wouldn't let Sakura do anything (because it   
  
was her birthday).  
  
"So, Sakura," said Rita "Who was that you were dancing with?" she asked.  
  
"I…I don't know," she replied.  
  
"One thing's for sure, he definitely likes you," Nikki pointed out.  
  
"He seemed kind of familiar to me. Like someone from a dream… Know what I   
  
mean?" asked Sakura.  
  
The girls all nodded.  
  
"Like déjà vu? Yeah, I know what you mean," said Tomoyo.  
  
"Did you guys see what Kris did?" asked Sakura.  
  
"Some girls get all the good guys," Rita sighed.  
  
Sakura made a face like she was about to throw up.  
  
"Puh-leez! What he did was very rude. I just wish that boy stayed around. I would   
  
have liked to talk to him."  
  
"Who invited him anyways?" asked Chelsea.  
  
At once they all said "Not me!"  
  
"He probably found out about it from someone around town," Nikki said.  
  
"Well, other than that, I think it was a wonderful party!" exclaimed Sakura.   
  
"Thank you all for having it. It's the best gift I've ever gotten. Well, except that   
  
stuffed bear I got in grade four."  
  
"You mean the one you keep beside your bed?" Tomoyo asked her teasingly.  
  
Sakura blushed.  
  
"Come on Sakura, how can you even compare that to this," Chelsea asked her, not   
  
meaning any harm, but inflicting it all the same.  
  
"She's right. You're sixteen now. You need to get out-and get a boyfriend," Nikki   
  
added.  
  
"Maybe…Hey! Don't finish that cake! I have to save a piece for Ker…" she stopped  
  
  
herself just in time. "I mean, keeping…for, uh, …Dad." Tomoyo was still the only   
  
one she had told about Kero-Chan.  
  
"Suit yourself," Chelsea said, replacing the cake on a clean plate.  
  
"Well, looks like we're about finished," Rita said.  
  
"I'd say we are finished," said Tomoyo.  
  
"Let's go upstairs and you guys can call to get rides home," Sakura said.  
  
"That's okay. Our parents are probably already on their way. We already planned   
  
what time to get rides," Tomoyo told her.  
  
"Okay, then let's wait outside. It's really hot in here."  
  
The girls all went out the basement door into the front garden (The back of the   
  
house was in the side of a hill).   
  
Nikki bounded out the door ahead of everyone. Her dad's car was already idling in   
  
the driveway.   
  
"Bye guys!" she yelled as she slammed the car door. The car roared away.  
  
One by one her friends left until only she and Tomoyo were left.  
  
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Tomoyo exclaimed. She searched for a moment, then pulled   
  
a gift out of her pocket and gave it to Sakura.  
  
"OMYGOD, you actually got them?!"  
  
Out of the package came 2 tickets to a concert of her favorite band, which was   
  
apparently everyone else's favorite, judging by how hard it was to get tickets to see   
  
them.  
  
Tomoyo smiled.   
  
"One for you one for whoever else you want to take. This is just a suggestion, but  
  
maybe you could ask Kris?"  
  
Sakura turned her face to the stars.  
  
"No. You know I can't do that. There's only one per….."  
  
"Oh stop it Sakura! I don't want to be mean or anything, but there's no way he'll   
  
come back!"  
  
"Yes he will. He promised!" She could feel her eyes brimming with tears.  
  
"And how long are you going to wait? Ten years? Twenty? All I'm saying is, you've   
  
got a guy right here who'd almost kill to go out with you, and you still haven't   
  
gotten over Li. He's not going to come back. Just face it."   
  
Tomoyo's mother's car pulled up then and Sakura was left alone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Okay, I lied. I made up a character. Kris isn't a bad guy. He just reeeeelllllly likes Sakura, that's all.   
  
I personally think she should go for him. After all, he is the tall, dark, handsome type …………………………………  
  
I hope you all like this chapter.  
  
More to come!   



	3. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 3  
  
  
Back for more, eh?   
  
Well here we go, Chapter three!  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Okay, you know the drill.  
  
Card Captor Sakura isn't mine.  
  
She belongs to clamp. So do all her friends.  
  
I've finally come to terms with the fact.  
  
I'll just have to come up with a scheme to………  
  
Oops, did I say that out loud?  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She stood there on the front steps, staring after the car as it shot off into the   
  
distance. At first, only a single tear rolled down her cheek. Her vision was   
  
blurred, and she tried to hold it back, but soon she was crying nonstop.   
  
"Of all the people, I thought she understood!" she yelled, then ran back inside and   
  
threw herself onto the couch. She didn't want to go to her bedroom. Kero was there,   
  
and listening to him tell her the same thing would only make her feel worse.  
  
After she had cried for an about half an hour (give or take), she slowly sat up and   
  
dried her eyes. She took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh.  
  
'Maybe Tomoyo is right. Maybe he'll never come back.' she thought. That only  
  
made her want to cry more. She pushed the thought out of her mind.  
  
"No," she said aloud. "I have to believe in him. He must come back."  
  
But a small part of her still said 'Yes, but he's been gone so long already. No phone   
  
calls, no letters. Why waste your life sitting around waiting?'  
  
Sakura sighed again and wiped away the tears that listening to herself think had caused.  
  
She was about to leave the room when she spotted something lying in the corner   
  
beside the door (The one leading to the outside).  
  
'The girls must have forgot to clean the corners.'  
  
She knew if the room wasn't spotless by the time her dad checked it, she could never  
  
have another party, so she moped over to pick it up. He had been really moody lately.  
  
But it wasn't garbage. It was a small, gift-wrapped package. All the little tag said was 'To Sakura.'  
  
'My friends,' she thought, "So poetic," she said sarcastically.  
  
She opened it slowly and carefully. It was a necklace. A necklace, on a thin golden   
  
chain. On it was a charm - a sword, with a red ruby on the hilt. It sparkled in the dim light of the basement.   
  
'I wonder who this is from,' she thought.  
  
She turned it over. There was an inscription on the back. She couldn't read it in the   
  
small amount of light she had, so she ran up the stairs, turned on the light in the   
  
kitchen and looked at it again.  
  
"To the only… one I… love. I could never …forget you," she read the words slowly,   
  
then read them again.  
  
"Oh Wow. Who gave me this??"   
  
It was still a mystery to her when she awoke the next morning.  
  
"Morning Sakura!" exclaimed Kero, the moment her eyes opened.   
  
  
"Huh? Oh, hi."   
  
"How did the party go?"  
  
"Good, I guess. You were in on it the whole time weren't you?"  
  
"Alright, you caught me. Here's your gift."  
  
Sakura opened it. It was half a box of chocolates.  
  
"Thanks Kero. You must have gotten a bit hungry, huh?"  
  
Kero blushed. "Uh, yeah. Nice necklace," he said, changing the subject, "Where'd   
  
you get it?"  
  
"From… uh, a friend."  
  
"Oooooh, I see. You don't want me to know who. Come on, tell me. Who's it from,   
  
your boy friend?" Kero said in a teasing way.  
  
"Actually, I'm not too sure. I found it just lying on the floor. The tag didn't say who   
  
it was from. It sure is pretty though."  
  
"I can sense something in it's meaning," Kero said.  
  
"Well, at least we know it's not possessed or evil or anything," she said,   
  
remembering an incident years ago.  
  
"Still, I don't think it means what you think it does."  
  
"How can you possibly know that? I don't even know what I think it means."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That night her family celebrated Sakura's birthday with her.  
  
(They didn't celebrate it the night before because her brother had to work late and couldn't come.)  
  
When the festivities were over, and it was getting late, Sakura said goodnight and went up to her room.  
  
She wanted to try something.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sakura had heard about a thing called telepathy. Supposedly, some people could   
  
communicate with others without seeing them or hearing them, only using their   
  
mind. She had wanted to try it for a long time, but never had a reason she could   
  
think of. Now she was planning on trying to communicate with Li.  
  
She didn't even know if it would work. Even if it did, would he answer her?  
  
'It's worth a try,' Sakura thought.  
  
She took a deep breath and began her message.  
  
'Li Syaoran, if I am reaching you, listen closely. It's Sakura Kinomoto. Please come to me as soon as you can. I need   
  
to see you."   
  
She repeated the message over and over again until she almost fell asleep thinking it.  
  
She had just turned out her bedroom light and was about to crawl into bed when  
  
she heard it. Faint plinking noises, by her window.  
  
She yawned and turned on her lamp. She walked over to her window and looked   
  
out. It was that boy from the party. He was in her backyard throwing little stones at   
  
her window. When he saw her appear at her window he made a motion for her to   
  
open the window and talk to him.   
  
As she unlocked the window and pulled it up, being careful not to wake Kero, who  
  
had already been asleep for hours, she got a prickly feeling at the back of her neck.   
  
"Hello," he whispered loudly.  
  
"Hi. What are you doing here?"  
  
"It's kind if hard to talk from so far away. Mind if I come up?"  
  
"How are you goi…" The boy's lightening fast speed at climbing up the drainpipe cut off Sakura's words.  
  
"How did you do that?" she asked him as he sat outside her window on the roof over the back porch.   
  
"Magic," he replied casually, as if she'd known all along.  
  
"You're lucky you didn't throw rocks at my brother's window by mistake. You  
  
would have been a dead man."  
  
"I know. But I don't think I could have mistaken the two rooms," he said, motioning   
  
to her pink frilly curtains.   
  
"Oh," Sakura said, blushing slightly.  
  
"Could I come in? It's kind of cold out here," she noticed he was shivering, in his   
  
thin jacket. She knew she should say no, but something in the boy's eyes made her trust him.  
  
"Okay."  
  
He climbed in through her window and stood there staring at her. Mindful of Kero,   
  
sleeping in her sock drawer, she advised him to be quiet 'so he wouldn't wake her   
  
brother,' she told him. She sat down on her bed. He just stood there awkwardly.  
  
"Have a seat," she said, motioning to the chair at her desk.  
  
"Nice night. Good night to watch the stars."  
  
Normally, sitting in her room making small talk with a total stranger would have   
  
freaked her out. But there was just something about him. She just didn't know what   
  
exactly.  
  
"Did you enjoy the party?" she asked, smiling.  
  
Stupid question.  
  
"Y…Yes. Well, most of it."  
  
"I know what you mean," she said.  
  
He suddenly looked surprised.  
  
"Nice necklace," he said.  
  
Sakura reached to her neck and played with the chain for a second. "Thank you," she said.  
  
He seemed to be deep in thought.  
  
"You came here to talk about something else, didn't you? Something more important."  
  
"Yes."   
  
He took a moment, and then continued.  
  
"That guy - you know - at the party. Is he… I mean …are you…" he trailed off,   
  
blushing fiercely.  
  
"Are we going out?" Sakura finished for him. He nodded. "No. He wishes."  
  
The boy started to look more relaxed.   
  
"Now it's my turn to ask a question." Sakura patted the bed beside her. "Sit."  
  
He came over and sat beside her.  
  
"What I want to know is… Who are…"  
  
Sakura was cut off by the sound of footsteps outside her door, and a knock.  
  
"Sakura? Who are you talking to?"   
  
It was her father.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
BUSTED!!!! How is she going to get out of this one?   
Guess you'll just have to wait and see. More coming soon.  
I know you all hate the cliffhanger endings, so sorry,  
but you'll just have to wait till I throw the next chapter up.   



	4. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 4  
  
  
  
Miss Me? Well, here's the fourth chapter.  
Are you absolutely dying to find out what happens?  
I'm just going to start writing this one, okay?  
I've been waiting to get at it all day!  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Cardcaptors isn't mine!  
Why do I have to keep telling you people this?  
It's not fair! It makes me so sad to have to say it.  
Sad (For me), but true.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sakura pushed the boy off the bed just before her father entered the room.  
  
He landed with a thud.  
  
"Why aren't you asleep?" her father asked, "And who are you talking to? What was that noise?"  
  
"Oh…uh… I'm practicing for, um, a school play!"  
  
"Well, that's enough practicing for tonight. Get to sleep."  
  
Sakura looked down at the floor, where the boy was still sprawled out, a surprised look on his face.  
  
"Get under the bed!" she whispered to him.  
  
"What was that you said?" asked her father.  
  
"Nothing! I didn't say anything!"  
  
"Okay. Why is that window open?! You're going to freeze to death! He rushed over,  
  
closed it tightly and locked it as the boy rolled under the bed just in time.  
  
"Goodnight, Sakura."  
  
"'Night dad."  
  
"See you in the morning."  
  
He closed the door tightly behind him.  
  
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as she heard him moving down the stairs.  
  
There was a cough from under her bed. She leaned over the side and looked under   
  
the bed. The boy was waiting there patiently.  
  
"You should vacuum under here more often," he said, coughing on a dust ball.  
  
"You can come out now," she whispered.  
  
He emerged from under the bed and brushed the lint off his clothes. He sat beside her once again.  
  
"You were saying?" he whispered.  
  
"Oh yeah! Who are you? What's your name?"  
  
"You mean you forgot?" he asked, the color draining from his face.  
  
"I never knew."  
  
"Sakura, look at me closely, and then see if you can remember."  
  
Sakura looked at him closely. It was the first time she had really looked at him close   
  
up. His hair was dyed black, very badly. She could see his brown roots showing. He   
  
had a slightly muscular build. He looked very serious, but shy at the same time. His   
  
amber colored eyes shone hopefully.   
  
'Something in the eyes,' she thought.   
  
Sakura touched her hand to his cheek and looked deeply into his eyes.  
  
'Please, remember me!' he silently pleaded to her.  
  
"Li!" she exclaimed, then threw her arms around him.  
  
Li closed his eyes and smiled as he hugged her tightly.  
  
"I missed you so much!" said Sakura, happily.  
  
"Me too," Li told her smiling.  
  
"I thought you forgot me in Hong- Kong."  
  
"I could never forget you," he said.  
  
Sakura reached for the chain around her neck.  
  
"This was from you, then," she said.  
  
Li nodded.   
  
"I was going to talk to you at the party, but then that other guy came  
  
along. I thought you were going out with him," He paused. "I thought you forgot   
  
me," he looked down at his hand resting on the bed when he said that.  
  
"Then why did you come back here tonight?" she had to know if it had worked.  
  
"I felt like you were calling to me. I guess I just wanted to see you again."  
  
"I was calling to you! And I'm glad you came. I have to tell you this before I loose  
  
the courage. I love you Li."  
  
"I…I love you too Sakura."  
  
"They all said you were never going to come back," Sakura said, choking back tears   
  
of happiness "Tomoyo is going to look really stupid when she finds out who you   
  
really are," Sakura giggled quietly.  
  
"It felt so weird. I wondered why nobody came to talk to me at the party. Looks   
  
like I fooled you all, huh? Did I really change that much?"  
  
Instead of answering, she put her arms around her neck, pulled him close to her and   
  
kissed him passionately.  
  
After a long while, she pulled away and he smiled at her.  
  
"Honestly," she said to him, "I think it's the hair." Li smiled  
  
……….(Long pause)………….]  
  
"Marry me?" he asked her suddenly.  
  
"Huh?!?!?!?!?!?"  
  
"Nothing!" Li said quickly, realizing that he had just said that out loud.  
  
"Okay Sakura, there's definitely someone in there with you!" came an angry voice  
  
from behind her door.  
  
"Oh crap! You'd better get out of here quick before …"  
  
Li stopped her. He put a finger to his lips, as if to say 'shhhhhh!' He reached quickly   
  
into his pocket and pulled out a green card, did some crazy hand gesture, and said   
  
"Conceal!" He disappeared with a flash of light just before Mr. Kinomoto opened the door.   
  
"Okay, WHERE IS HE?!?!?"  
  
"Where's who?" asked Sakura innocently. She had thrown herself under the covers just in time.  
  
"Whoever was just in here a minute ago!!"  
  
"There was nobody else in here. Just me."   
  
She felt warm breath on her cheek.  
  
"Don't think that just because you're a year older you can go sneaking around   
  
behind my back with some boy!!"  
  
"I'M NOT!!! And besides, you married mom when she was sixteen!"  
  
She felt arms around her waist.  
  
He had no comeback for that one.  
  
"And just because I'm a year older doesn't mean I am sneaking around behind your   
  
back, so just chill out!"  
  
She made a really weird noise, after she felt lips on her neck.  
  
"Okay, I'm sorry. Just stop talking and go to sleep."  
  
"Okay!"  
  
He left, finally.  
  
"Thank. You. For. Making. That. Quite. Awkward!!!!" she hissed at thin air. Li had   
  
moved away from her, but still hadn't reappeared yet. She turned, looking around   
  
the room for him. Behind her Li picked up a pillow, still invisible and threw it at   
  
her, then ran up and started tickling her.  
  
"HAHAHAAA! Li, stop it! You have to…Ha, ha!…you have to leave, before he   
  
comes in here again!" Sakura whispered while giggling madly before she fell in a heap on the floor.  
  
"But I just got here!" He reappeared lying beside her.  
  
"How did you…?"  
  
"You're not the only one that can do magic."  
  
"Why would you make a conceal card? What's it good for?"  
  
"Hiding things." Sakura gave him the look. "Okay, okay, I don't know yet. I just  
  
started experimenting with making them. But it sure saved both our asses just a minute ago."  
  
"Li?"  
  
"Yes darling?" he asked in a little boy voice.  
  
"Cute. YOU_HAVE_TO_GO!!"  
  
"I can take a hint. See you later."  
  
He stood up and unlocked the window, and was just about to climb out when…  
  
"Wait!" Sakura whispered, and ran over to him. "Come back tomorrow morning at   
  
nine." They kissed again, and then he left. Sakura closed the window and watched   
  
Li disappear into the night - Literally.  
  
She ran to her bed and jumped into it, snuggling under the covers.  
  
"This is ABSOLUTELY best gift I've ever gotten," she said aloud, just before she drifted off to sleep.  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Well, What do you think? Do you like it, is it crappy or what?   
Chapter 5 is coming soon. You'll just have to wait patiently 'till then………………..  
… Dum, de dum dum dum…………… ~Begins whistling show tunes~…………think of an idea, think of an idea think of an idea!…………………………………………………………………………  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
What?!?! It's not like I have no idea what to write or something. What would give   
you that idea?  
  



	5. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 5  
  
Well, here I am again! I got loads of help from Kyralea on this one.   
  
I confess. She's great (this is really killing my ego).  
  
She is the Queen of Mush, and she didn't tell   
  
me to write this either! No kidding! The fuzzies were her idea.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
These characters belong to clamp. Not me. Them (Except Kris. He's mine! And Stardust)  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Sakura awoke to a hand stroking her hair. She turned her head, and discovered Li,  
  
his hair back to its original brown color. She gasped in surprise, and looked at the   
  
clock. 9: 30.   
  
"Why do you have to be so punctual?" she asked sleepily.  
  
"Some things are just worth it," he replied. He smiled at her.  
  
"You fixed your hair," she said. Her heart was going a million miles a minute.  
  
"Why not have more proof that it's me? I didn't really like it that much anyway.   
  
The black hair freaked me out sometimes."  
  
"It kind of looked weird, at first, but as long as you're attached to it, I wouldn't care if it was blue,"  
Sakura looked at him, warm fuzzies all in her stomach.  
  
"I missed you so much." Li whispered. He stroked her cheek. Her eyes fluttered   
  
closed, and Li kissed her softly. Sakura couldn't take it anymore. The fuzzies were   
  
taking over. She pulled him closer, and kissed him even more deeply. She wrapped   
  
her arms around his neck, and his arm fell loosely around her waist. They finally   
parted.  
  
"And I thought you weren't a morning person." Li said breathlessly.  
  
"You started it," she said. She pulled him into another kiss, which did not help to   
  
get rid of the fuzzies, which were starting to drive her mad.  
  
"I always wondered what it would be like to wake up next to you," he said, once   
  
they paused to catch their breath. Sakura blushed. They started kissing again.  
  
"Sakura! Time to get up! I made breakfast!" Tori said, walking into her room   
  
without knocking.  
  
Sakura didn't even blink, but kept kissing Li. Tori gasped. He only took about 3   
  
steps, and ended up by the side of her bed, pulling Li away from her. Li looked at   
  
him and grinned.   
  
"Tori, What did you do that for?" Sakura and Tori glared, then he gasped again.  
  
"What do you mean, what did I do that for? There's some strange guy in your   
  
room, early in the morning, and your kissing him, and your still in your pajamas!"   
  
Tori yelled.  
  
"It could be worse. She could not have anything on at all," Li pointed out, still   
  
grinning. Apparently the fuzzies had gotten to him, too.  
  
"WHAT!?!?!?!?" Tori freaked! Talk about cardiac arrest. HOW DARE YOU   
  
TALK TO ME ABOUT MY SISTER LIKE THAT!?!? WIPE THAT SMILE OFF   
  
OF YOUR FACE YOU LITTLE RAPIST!!!!!!"  
  
"This is none of your business! You came here to wake me up, you can see that I'm   
  
awake, so leave!" Sakura said.  
  
"Are you nuts?!?!? You Are! You're crazy!" He looked at Sakura. " I'm taking this   
  
guy down to dad …" Tori turned, looking for Li, but he couldn't see him.  
  
All of a sudden, Kero popped out of the sock drawer.   
  
"Would you people SHUT UP!! What's a guardian beast gotta do to get a little sleep around here?!?!?"  
  
Tori's mouth hung open.   
  
"WHAT IS THIS, GIVE-YOUR-OLDER-BROTHER-A-HEART-ATTACK   
  
DAY?!?!?!?!?! What the hell is this thing?!?!?"  
  
Sakura grabbed Kero out of the air.  
  
"I THOUGHT I turned this thing off!" Sakura hissed through her teeth. Kero got the hint.  
  
"Where did that thing go?!?" Tory said, talking about Li.  
  
Sakura felt a hand brush her cheek.  
  
"I think he went downstairs, you know, to sneak out the door?" she said, trying to   
  
sound normal. He actually fell for it. Now that is dense. Sakura grabbed the hand on   
  
her cheek.  
  
"That was close," she said, trying to see him. But of course she couldn't.  
  
He seemed to know what she wanted. He grabbed her other hand and put it to his   
  
cheek. She realized what he was up to.  
  
"Why don't you just make it so that I can see you?"  
  
"Your bodyguard might come back."  
  
"Then make yourself invisible when he does," Sakura said, the fuzzies getting   
the best of her.  
  
Li kissed her, and he was still invisible. Sakura kissed him back, very weirded out.  
  
Kero, who was still in the room, gave the eyebrow.  
  
"Sakura, you really need a boyfriend. I'm starting to wonder…" he trailed off.  
  
Li finally reappeared. Kero flew up in his face.  
  
"YOU! You're that kid who always was a jerk! I'd recognize that smell anywhere!"  
  
Li looked at Sakura. "I really feel welcomed to this family," he said sarcastically,   
  
"And I do not smell!" he said, glaring at Kero.  
  
"I don't care. I still hate you." Kero said smugly.  
  
"OH COME ON!!! I WAS TEN YEARS OLD!!! I DIDN"T KNOW YOU"D BE SO   
INSULTED BY BEING CALLED A STUFFED ANIMAL!!!!"  
  
"That doesn't change a thing," Kero said, his nose high in the air.  
  
"Never mind that. We have more important things to do today." Sakura said.  
  
"Like what?" Li asked her.  
  
"Like visiting old friends…" Sakura had a sly look in her eyes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hi, Tomoyo? What are you doing today?…….. Could you meet me in the park by   
  
the fountain? ……… Oh, well, there's someone I want you to see….. No way! You'll   
  
just have to wait till we get there! …… Okay, see you in ten. Bye."  
  
Sakura hung up the phone.   
  
"This is going to be FUN. Just go invisible so we can get out of the house, then you   
  
can go back to normal, okay?"   
  
"Gotcha." Li used the card and disappeared.  
  
Sakura took off, motioning for the invisible Li to follow her.  
  
"Dad, I'm going out!" she yelled.  
  
"Sakura? What was your brother hollering about?"  
  
"I don't know. I think it was something about the cat eating his hemorrhoid cream?   
  
I'm not sure." She heard Li snort, trying hard not to laugh.  
  
And with that, they ran out the door.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Tomoyo walked briskly to the park, eager to meet this mystery person her best   
  
friend was apparently going crazy over. She rounded the corner and was   
  
approaching the fountain when she saw them. Sakura and some guy, and it looked   
  
like they were trying to eat each other's faces, that's are how into it they were!   
  
"' Sure is a fast learner," Tomoyo muttered as she approached them, reflecting on   
  
the fact that Sakura had never gone out with anyone.  
  
"Uh, hi Sakura! Having fun?"  
  
Sakura spun around, blushing madly. "Oh, uh, you could say that!"  
  
"Uh huh. Hey, you're that guy from the party, right?" she nudged Sakura and   
  
whispered in her ear "He looks even better in daylight!"  
  
"Yep, that's me, the guy from the party!"  
  
Sakura clung to his neck, "We're dating!" she said, trying not to laugh at the   
  
puzzled look Tomoyo was giving her.  
  
"Well, I'm going to go get us some ice cream," she said, motioning to the shop across   
  
the street. "why don't you two stay here and, talk for a bit."  
  
"R.r.i.i.i.g.h.t," Tomoyo said looking even more puzzled.  
  
Sakura winked at Li devilishly. Tomoyo made some kind of noise that sounded like a cross   
between a gasp and a heart attack. Sakura left. Li and Tomoyo sat down on a bench.  
  
"WOAH!!," she said, once Sakura was out of hearing range. "You must be pret_ty good!"  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"To make her break her promise to Li Syaoran. I thought she'd die single!"  
  
"Who's that?" Li asked, playing it up.  
  
"Well, long long ago, there was this guy who moved here from China.   
To make a long story shhooort….. He promised her that he would come back some day,  
and she promised that she would wait for him, if you get my meaning."   
  
Li nodded.  
  
"Any ways, everyone knew that he wouldn't come back, like, ever. And I don't care how  
much he said that he liked her; she had to get on with life. Everyone thought so, even though  
I was the only one who ever told her.   
  
"I see. What was this guy like?" he asked trying to stop the corners of his mouth from curling up.  
  
"WEEEELL, he was the cutest kid. I even had a crush on him at one time He was   
  
really serious all the time, and he blushed really easy. He had GORGEOUS amber   
  
colored eyes;. And his hair was chestnut brown -Kind of like yours -Hey didn't it   
  
used to be black? - Anyways, Sakura really liked him a lot, and I guess it took her a   
  
long time……….OH NO! What have I just done?!? Now you'll be thinking that you   
  
have to be just like him or Sakura won't like you!! Just kill me now before she does!!!"  
  
"I don't think there's much chance of that," Li said, grinning widely.  
  
"What, you trying to be like him, or you killing me before she does?"  
  
"Neither."  
  
"So you really like her, huh?"  
  
"Let's just say, I've already picked names for our children."  
  
"This relationship sure is moving fast!" Sakura giggled from behind them. She   
  
handed Li an ice cream cone. He REALLY blushed this time!  
  
Tomoyo FREAKED! "How long have you been standing there!?!?! What did you hear?!?!?!"  
  
"I heard enough to know what my next birthday present will be!" she giggled   
  
madly. If it was possible, Li turned even a darker shade of beet red!  
  
"We were just making small talk…uh, right?" Tomoyo said, giving Li the look.  
  
"So, what are their names?" Sakura asked Li, still giggling.  
  
'I can make this turn out better than we thought it would' he thought to himself, suddenly getting an idea.  
  
"Nikki, Rita, Chelsea, and Zachary," he said, trying to look like he wasn't making it up.   
  
"Wow, what a coincidence, those are the names of our friends!" Tomoyo exclaimed, totally clueless.  
"I don't think I introduced myself did I? My name is Tomoyo."  
  
"Nice to see you again. My name is Syaoran Li." He held out his hand for her to shake it.  
  
"YOU ARE SO SICK!"   
  
"It's true!" he told her.  
  
"YEAH RIGHT! Prove it!"  
  
"Force, know my plight." He smiled at her evilly. He pulled the lasin board out of thin air and   
twirled it between his two index fingers.  
  
Tomoyo's jaw dropped open.   
  
"Sakura, do you have any Clow cards on you?"  
  
"Waaahaaa?!?!?! No way!!! You're not…. You can't be!!! AAAAAAAAAAH!!!   
Please excuse me while I go kick my own ass!!!!!"  
  
By this time, Sakura was rolling on the ground, laughing_ her_guts_out! She   
  
slowly stood up after about a minute, tears in her eyes, still laughing, and pointed at   
  
her. "You were SO sure that you were right!! IN_ YOUR_FACE!!"  
  
Tomoyo made a very strange noise somewhere in her nose. "I am SO sorry! I will   
  
never doubt you again! How did you pull this off?!?!?"  
  
"Actually, it was pretty easy! I knew that you'd be to happy to think I was finally moving  
on to ask the obvious questions!"  
  
"So, you had a crush on me at one point?" Li asked Tomoyo mischievously.  
  
Tomoyo turned nearly purple "Only a small one!" she squeaked.  
  
"Sakura, were my eyes really as GORGEOUS as she said they were?"   
  
"They still are."   
  
Li smiled. "Hey, you know, we haven't even gone on a real date yet."  
  
Sakura searched around in her coat pocket for a minute and pulled out the concert   
  
tickets that Tomoyo had given her. She looked at the date and time that was printed   
on them.  
"How about, Friday at seven o'clock?" she asked him.  
  
"Sounds great! What are we going to see?"  
  
"Stardust!"  
  
"I love that band!"  
  
Tomoyo was still standing there, a deep red tint to her usually pale face. She was in   
  
shock of the fact that she was wrong. "Hellooooooo! I'm still he-ere!"  
  
"Yeah, how could we forget? YOU had a crush on my man," Sakura said teasing her.  
  
"SOOOOOOOOOO BUSTED!" Li grinned.  
  
Tomoyo turned even a deeper shade of purple. Then she smiled. 'I'll get out of this   
with a compliment' she thought.  
  
"Well, what do you expect? You're hot!" She said. Li blushed light pink (They're   
  
blushing an awful lot) at this. Sakura wrapped her arms around him from behind.  
  
"Actually, you're hotter than hot, but I have to say that that was NOT the right   
  
thing to say, if you wanted to fix what you just said," She glared at Tomoyo.   
  
"Hey, what's that noise?" Sakura asked. She looked to the right. Nikki and Chelsea   
  
were coming their way, giggling at some unknown joke. Sakura smiled devilishly.  
  
"Maybe we can fit more than one freaked out person into the day," she said, looking at Li.  
  
Tomoyo smiled "Yeah, we can find out if they had a crush on you too. Then maybe some of the  
attention will be directed AWAY from me!!"  
  
"I don't get it. First, you complain that we're not paying enough attention to you,  
and then you don't want us to pay attention to you! Will you make up your mind?" Sakura said.  
  
Tomoyo gave her the look.  
  
"Oh no! They're closing in!" Sakura said. She ran around to the front of the bench and sat on  
Li's lap. He couldn't even get a surprised look on her face before she started kissing him passionately.  
  
'What a sex maniac!' thought Tomoyo, shaking her head. She blushed (yes, again).   
  
Nikki and Chelsea walked up and gasped. Nikki made a cat call.  
  
"Looks like SOMEBODY finally decided to get on with things" Chelsea said.  
  
"Isn't that the guy from the party last night?" asked Nikki.  
  
"Well, since Sakura is too busy to answer that, yes he is."  
  
"They're pretty into it." Nikki said.  
  
"Yeah,he must be pretty good to make her break her promise to Li Syaoran,"   
Chelsea said. Tomoyo smiled, remembering the conversation she had just had with Li.   
  
"Yeah, she was just talking about him yesterday," Tomoyo added.  
"And remember? She compared the party to the bear she got in grade four!"  
Li pulled away for a second.  
  
"Really?" He whispered low enough for only Sakura to hear.  
  
"Nothing could be better then that, except you," she whispered, and then pulled him back.  
  
"You have to admit, he was cute!" Chelsea said.  
  
"Oooooooh yeah! He was the cutest boy in the whole school." Nikki said.  
  
"It was really too bad that he only liked Sakura. Why couldn't he play the field?  
All the cute guys usually do"  
  
"Well, he wasn't ever really normal," Tomoyo pointed out.  
  
"That's one of the reasons I liked him so much!" Nikki exclaimed.  
  
"Oh, really? You had a crush on Li" Tomoyo said, nudging Li the tiniest bit.  
He smiled through the kiss.  
  
"Well, I wouldn't really call it a crush. Just a couple re-occurring dreams about me marrying him…"  
Nikki said. Li pulled away and snorted with laughter.  
  
"DON'T!" All three girls said at the same time, stopping Sakura from pulling him back.  
She frowned and got off his lap. Li smiled.  
  
"Sooo, you had a crush on Li? Why was I not informed?" she said, glaring at the 2 girls in amusement.  
  
"Oh, come on! I bet the whole school had a crush on him! Including the boys! And how could  
you hear what we were saying? You two were so…deep in…business," Chelsea said. Sakura giggled.  
  
"I didn't really listen. It was just kind of stored… in my head… until further… notice," She trailed off.  
  
"Well he must be pretty hot stuff to make you break you promise to Li," Nikki said.  
  
"Well, I guess you could say that…" she said quietly. They didn't really notice.Li blushed.  
  
"So I'm Nikki…"  
  
"And I'm Chelsea!" Chelsea finished. "I see you've found a way to warm your way into our friend's heart…"   
  
"And mouth!" Nikki interjected. They girls all giggled.  
  
"So what's with all the mystery? Why didn't you tell us your name?" Chelsea asked.  
  
"You didn't ask me." Li said simply.  
  
"Oookey, then, what's your name?" Nikki asked.  
  
"Li Syaoran. It's nice to see you again. I'm glad everyone missed me so much…Even the boys, huh?"  
he grinned evilly.  
  
Both of the girls' eyes' went wide.  
  
"YOU'RE JOKING!!!" They both screamed at the same time. Tomoyo giggled.  
  
"He did the same thing to me." She said.  
  
"No, no no, NO! You couldn't be Li…" Nikki stuttered.  
  
"And why not?" he asked, giving her the eyebrow.  
  
"You just couldn-"  
  
"Let's look at the facts," he interrupted, "Sakura promised to wait for him. Suddenly,  
out of the blue, she starts making out with some guy who's name you don't know, who   
just happened to appear out of nowhere, in town, at her house. I look like Li,   
I act like Li, apparently I smell like Li (they gave him the eyebrow, cuz obviously   
they didn't know about Kero and his little talk), Sakura loves me, I AM Li."  
  
Nikki and Chelsea both blushed even darker than Tomoyo had.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Well, that's it for this chapter. I bet you never thought it would end, did ya?  
Well, the next chapter won't be as long. I'm already working on it.   
If anyone has any suggestions/ comments/ complaints, feel free to email me.   
Go nuts. Well, okay, not literally, but you get the idea, right? No swearing or  
anything though. And I feel that I absolutely have to mention Kyralea again.  
She helped me sooooooooo (etc.) much on this.  
Annie   



	6. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 7  
  
  
It's that time again! I've written another chapter!   
Betcha didn't think I'd write anymore, huh, huh, didya, didya??  
Well, here it is, in all its splendor. (Yeah right!)  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
These characters don't belong to me, they belong to Clamp. By the way, Kris is mine.  
THEY CAN'T TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME!!!  
MINE! NOT CLAMP'S!!! COPYRIGHT!! MAY NOT BE USED IN ANY WAY   
SHAPE OR FORM WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF ME!!!! KNOW WHY?  
'CUZ HE'S MINE!!!!  
Sakura: ALL RIGHT!!!! We get it!  
Me: Sorry. It's true though. Stardust is mine too.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That week Li enrolled in the local high school. It was Monday morning. Li walked into  
the classroom and scanned over the room. He finally spotted Sakura, and all of the  
others (plus Zachary and Rita), sitting in a group on the far side of the room.   
Mr. Terada (My fanfic, so I say he's a high school teacher now) approached him.  
  
"Nice to have you back, Syaoran Li. You can sit beside Zachary if you like."  
  
Li nodded. He approached their little group and winked at Sakura. She winked back. None of the others  
noticed, because they were all listening to Zachary tell them how he got his black eye.  
  
"Well, I was walking downtown in the middle of the night, when this guy jumped out of the alley and   
ripped off some old lady's purse. Being the heroic guy that I am (the girls all laughed at this), I ran  
him down and beat him up. Of course, I let him take the first swing, seeing as I was obviously more   
skilled than him before I totally kicked his ass (more giggles), and somehow, his fist connected with my head."  
  
"Yeah right!" Li said, "You probably just ran into the bathroom door again." He pulled out the chair of the desk beside Zachary.  
  
"I'm sorry, I guess nobody told you. I have a split personality. My other half- Thomas- sits there.  
You'd better move. He might get mad," Zachary said.  
Li snorted " Uh, huh" he looked skeptical "Nice try Zachary. Do you girls actually hang around with this guy?"  
"I guess the secret's out," Sakura said.  
"So, when should I pick you up for our date on Friday? Is six okay? I wanted to take you out for dinner first."  
The whole room went silent. Zachary and Rita tried not to laugh.  
Now it was Zachary's turn to snort.  
"You? Yeah right! News for you- the only person she'll go out with lives in China."  
"Not anymore." Li grinned.  
Zachary gave him the eyebrow.  
Li pointed to himself "Hellloooo! It' me, Li."  
Zachary burst out laughing, "Man, that's even better than I could come up with!"  
Li sweat dropped "You sure you don't want to introduce me to the blackboards, Mr. Class president?"  
"How did you know I was going to say that?!"  
"Because you said it to me in grade four!! How else would I know your name, and that you make up stories all the time?!?  
Zachary stopped laughing. "Jeeze, you really are serious… Wow… How've you been?"  
"Okay… Now can I sit down, or will- er- Thomas kick my ass?  
"I think I can hold him off."  
"You can be such an idiot sometimes, Zachary," Tomoyo said.  
"Excuse me? I don't recall me or Thomas asking for your opinion," he shot back. She stuck her tongue out at him.  
"This is so ROMANTIC!!" Rita exclaimed, "Finally together again!" They all rolled their eyes.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Thanks for walking me home..."Sakura started. It was after school that day.  
Li smiled, and touched her cheek. Sakura closed her eyes slowly. He leaned towards her, and kissed her softly.  
Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips against his. She pushed him into the door. She  
pulled away, breathing heavily, and kissed him again. Li pulled away.  
  
"Sakura...."He started. Sakura started to drop kisses all over his face and neck. Li felt like he would pass out.  
"Sakura...stop." He whispered. Sakura put a hand behind his head, and gazed at him devilishly.  
"Do you want to come in... Real quick?" She asked. Li knew he shouldn't, and he knew if he did,   
it would NOT be quick. He took a shaky breath.  
"Uh..." he ended in a squeak, with a weird expression on his face.  
  
The door opened. Li was about to fall, and Sakura lifted him up. He turned around to look straight at............  
Sakura's brother!  
  
"WHATDOYOUTHINKYOURDOING?!?!?!?!?!?" He shrieked. Li's eyes widened. Tori ran out and grabbed him by the neck.  
  
"TORI!!!!! STOP!!!!" Sakura screamed. She ran over to Li, obviously over the fuzzie attack.  
  
"What is going on out here?" Sakura's dad demanded.  
Sakura grabbed Li out of Tori's grasp.  
  
"Are you ok?"   
  
"I'm fine. Uh..."Li frowned. Sakura wrapped her arms around him.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Li!" She said.  
  
"It's ok. It's not your fault," he said anxiously.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Sakura's dad.  
  
"He's my boyfriend! And Tori was about to kill him!" Sakura said.  
  
"Tori!" Sakura's dad turned to him.  
  
"I was not! I…I...just...uh…lost...my temper…and..."  
  
"Tori! Just because I love someone, and he loves me back, is no reason to be homicidal! You should be happy!"  
  
"You should leave your sister alone-"He was cut off. "OH NO! My cookies!" He ran off to the kitchen.  
  
Tori narrowed his eyes at Li. "I think he should leave my sister alone," he replied to their father,  
who was already gone.  
  
Li looked at Tory as if he were looking at Satin himself. It took all his strength to keep from running away.  
He didn't want to look like a loser in front of Sakura.   
  
"Why don't you just go home?! You don't even live here anymore anyways!!!!" she said spitefully and   
gave Tory the death glare.  
  
"I don't think you should go out with him…" Tory began.  
  
"I don't think you should be dating my eighth grade science teacher, but do I say anything about that?!?!?!?   
Keep your nose out of my business!!!!!!!" (If looks could kill!)  
  
"I'm going out!" Tory yelled, then slammed the door behind him. He gave Li a dirty look as he stormed by.   
  
"Lets go upstairs Li. We don't want you in the path of HOMICIDAL MANIACS!!!!" Sakura yelled, loud   
enough for Tory to hear. Sakura ran upstairs to her room, dragging Li along with her. They had just gotten  
to the top of the stairs when she ran into…  
  
"DAD!" she shrieked in surprise.  
"Sakura, NO."  
"Why, whatever are you talking about daddykins?" she forced an innocent smile.  
"You know. Let him go. Then we need to have a talk."  
Sakura frowned, and dragged Li back down the stairs. She threw open the front door.  
"Bye," she said, and slammed the door in Li's face.   
"Uh, bye," Li said from the other side of the door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Sakura stormed into the kitchen where her father was waiting.  
"Sit," he said. Sakura reached for one of the slightly burnt chocolate chip cookies that were cooling. Aiden stared at her.  
"What?!" she asked after a minute of trying to ignore him, as if she didn't already know.  
"I think…" he began slowly, "that I've waited too long to have this talk with you."  
"Huh?"  
Then he started.  
"Well…er, uh, when… When a man, and a woman love each other, and are, um, married… hopefully…"  
"DAD!!!!!!!!" Sakura yelled, interrupting him. She looked at him like he had just shot her, "They taught us this in school!!!"  
"Still, I think I have to…"  
Sakura plugged her ears with her fingers and began chanting, "I can't hear you, I can't hear you!!" very much like a six-year-old.  
"SAKURA!!! Stop it! Forget it! Just listen to me!" He sweat dropped.  
Sakura gave up and unplugged her ears.   
"Now," He began again. " Just listen. I knew the time would come when this would happen."  
She rolled her eyes.  
"I'm sure he's a nice boy, or you wouldn't be standing in the middle of the street kissing him (Sakura blushed),  
But if you're going to be doing these things, you need to have proper protection."  
"DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! STOP!!!! WE_DIDN'T_DO_ANYTHING!!!!!!! FOR THE LOVE OF BUDDHA, STOP!!!"  
"You may not have done it yet, but when…"  
"S_T_O_P!!!!!! We're not going to do it!!! Atleastnotforalongtime," she added the last part on quickly and quietly.  
Aiden sighed. "Fine. But just so you know…"  
"Believe me, I_KNOW!!!!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The rest of the week went by faster than any other time in Sakura's life. Finally it was Friday. The  
night of the STARDUST concert. It was the biggest concert since The Beetles had come 30 years  
before, and everybody who's anybody, and even the nobodies were supposedly going to this concert.  
Sakura had a definite spring to her step as she and Tomoyo walked home.  
"Your first date with Prince Charming! How do you feel?" Tomoyo giggled.  
"VERY nervous!"  
"How could you be nervous around him? You haven't been away from him for more than 10 minutes all week!"  
"You'd be surprised. I have a feeling that something exciting's going to happen tonight."  
"Sakura, you have a dirty mind!" Tomoyo teased. An invisible Li smiled to himself.  
The girls stopped at the corner to wait for the light to change.  
"I don't see why we don't just cross. There aren't any cars coming," Tomoyo said.  
Sakura started making bizarre sucking noises.  
"Uhhhhhh, what are you doing, other than totally freaking me out?!?"  
Sakura stopped. "You shouldn't spy on us, Li."  
Li appeared with his arms around her. Tomoyo stood, her mouth wide open.  
"You two are just full of surprises, aren't you?!"  
Sakura giggled. Li blushed. Tomoyo just shook her head.  
"So, are you excited?" Li asked Sakura. She smiled and nodded. "Pick you up at 6:00,right?"   
"Right."  
"You going?" he asked Tomoyo.  
"Uh, YEAH! It's only the coolest event ever in the history of history!"  
"Maybe we'll see you there! Who are you going with?"  
She groaned. "The son of one of my mom's biggest clients, who is most likely butt-ugly. It's not fair!  
She just sprung it on me last night! I was going to ask someone, but now I have to go with him.   
She said something about the whole business going under if I don't. If it's so important, maybe she should take him!"  
"You could have stopped after the first sentence, you know." Li said. She gave him the look.  
Li decided it was a good time to disappear again.   
He did, and before he left them he said one more thing,  
"Sakura, if you could, please wait outside your house. I don't really want to talk to your  
brother again for, say, eighty years, and if I park outside and honk, he'll probably rip my through out or something."  
"Sure. I don't mind. See you at six!" Then they went their separate ways.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
It was 5 to 6. Sakura took one last glance at herself in the mirror, and tried to flatten a piece of hair  
that kept sticking up in the middle of her head. She could hear Tory arguing to her father (it was more of a one sided dispute)  
about the percentage of teenaged girls who get date raped by jerks like Li, and why couldn't he make her go out with  
someone better, like that Kris kid? Sakura groaned. It was obvious that Aiden was perfectly fine with her going out with Li,   
so why couldn't Tory get over it?  
  
"Hey Tory?!" she yelled just before she walked out the door.  
  
"What?!?!"  
  
"Did you rape the first girl you went out with?!"  
  
"No!!!!!"  
  
"Then I guess all the jerks don't do it!" She slammed the door behind her, a wide smile  
spreading over her face. She was beginning to think up much better comebacks for Tory than ever before.   
Just then Li pulled up in the driveway in a silver convertible.  
  
He grinned at Sakura, obviously pleased with her choice to wear pleather pants. Tory came out of the house   
to yell at Li, no doubt, but stopped dead when he saw the car.  
"Not good enough for me, huh? What was that you said? I should be dating someone classier? I bet Kris doesn't  
have a car as cool as that." she mocked Tory, an amused expression on her face. All he did was turn right back  
around and return to the house.   
  
Sakura ran to the car and jumped in, not even bothering to use the door. She kissed Li quickly on the lips. He just kept grinning.   
"Wow, what's wrong with your face?" she asked.  
"Well," Li said, still grinning, "I never thought this would happen, and now that it's happening,  
I'm having a hard time controlling things. My face would be one of them."  
"What would the other be?" Sakura asked innocently. Li blushed intensely.  
"Never mind!" he replied quickly. Sakura giggled.  
"Can I drive it later? Where did you get it? Is it a Porsche?" she asked him in one breath.  
"Yes, rented it, and yes again." He answered.   
"Where are we going for supper?" Sakura inquired.  
"You'll just have to wait and find out."  
He backed the car out of the driveway and the car tore down the street at a speed Sakura wasn't exactly sure was legal.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They arrived at the restaurant, "Le Poulet Fou", in about 5 minutes flat. Sakura discovered that there was  
no point to sticking that hair down, because now it was standing up in all directions anyways.  
They got a table for two, and browsed through the menu for a while. They finally ordered, and were  
still waiting to eat twenty minutes later. Li was talking to Sakura, but then his eyes went wide and he suddenly let out a little yelp.  
"What's wrong?" she asked.  
"Ummmm," he quickly looked down at his watch, "It's getting late. We'd better get going."  
"But we still have half an hour until the concert starts!"  
"I want to get there early."  
"But why?"  
"Because I just remembered that last time I ate here I got food poisoning."  
"Okay." Sakura didn't believe him. It sounded like he was making it up on the spot, plus the fact that  
he hadn't lived there for 5 years, and the restaurant was only built 3 years ago.  
He practically ran out of the restaurant dragging Sakura behind him, and they still hadn't had anything to eat.  
"Don't worry about it. We can get something at the concert." Was all he said when she protested.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The music was so loud, you could probably hear it for a mile in every direction. The bass was shaking the floor.  
People all around them were screaming the names of their favorite band members. Innumerable Glo- Sticks   
shone like stars in the multitude of people, and still more held lighters above their heads as they swayed to the beat.  
The tune floated over the sea of people. They got caught up as the whole stadium started doing the wave.   
Sakura felt a hand on her shoulder, and spun around. It was Tomoyo.  
  
"HI!"she yelled.  
  
"WHAT!?!" Sakura asked.  
  
"HI!!"  
  
"I CAN'T HERE YOU!"  
  
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!?!"  
  
Tomoyo just shook her head as if to say 'never mind.' She pointed to her date. She was right. He was pretty ugly.  
He had a snubbed nose and was wearing plastic rimmed glasses, with something that mysteriously looked like  
tape stuck between the two lenses. Tomoyo scrunched up her nose. Then Sakura caught sight of the orange   
and yellow tartan suit he was wearing. Her jaw dropped. Now that was the ugliest article of clothing she had ever seen.  
She shrugged, then returned to Li, who was a god compared to the other guy. She had just begun dancing again, when   
Li seized her arm, his grip unnecessarily tight. He leaned over to her and said into her ear "Come on. Let's go outside."  
Sakura could barely get a surprised look on her face before she was running to keep up with him.   
They got to the lobby, and he stopped.  
  
"Li, what was that about?" She asked him.  
  
"I have to tell you something. There-"  
  
"OH Syaora-an! There you are!! A dark haired girl burst through the doors at that exact moment.   
  
"Who is this?!?" Asked Sakura, shocked. Could it be that he had another girlfriend he was cheating on her with?   
  
"You're as stupid as ever I see," said the girl. She was a genuine slutt, with lace up white boots that went up to her  
knees, a red miniskirt, and a tube top.  
  
"What is your problem with me?!?" Sakura cried.  
  
"You mean you don't recognize me?! Ha!"  
  
"Should I?" Sakura asked, glancing at Li, who was giving this girl his death glare that he specialized in.  
The girl-thing pushed past her and went to Li.  
  
"Li, darling, what are you doing here? Remember our wedding? Your mother is hysterical!  
Why did you run away like that? All your sisters were crying their eyes out!"  
  
"SHUT UP!!! I_AM_NOT_MARRYING_YOU!!! Do you think that I would have ran a thousand  
miles away if I loved you?!? LEAVE_ME_ALONE!!!"  
  
"It's too late to get cold feet now, hon., Everything's ready, and as soon as I get you back, we're getting married,  
and we're going to have at least 7 babies, and we ARE going to live happily ever after, whether you like it or not!"  
  
"Hello!!!!! You're forgetting someone!!" Sakura was getting the whole picture. Nobody on earth was as crazed  
about marrying Li than his cousin, Melin Rae, and she was CRAZED!  
  
Just at that exact moment, Tomoyo and her dorky escort came into the lobby.  
  
"Oh, right. How could I ever forget you?" Melin said slyly. "You've been coming between us from the start."  
She glared at Sakura with pure loathing in her hellishly- hued eyes.  
  
"Don't tell me. Is this Melin?" Tomoyo had guessed it too. "I didn't know the circus was in town."  
  
"Yes, this is Melin!" Melin replied in a contemptuous voice. "And this must be the spoiled rich brat! Nice date!" She laughed in  
a sinister way. Tomoyo's date started to cry. Yes, CRY!  
  
"Melin, that's enough!" Li stepped in. "You don't belong here. Nobody wants you here. Leave. I am not coming with you.   
You are a self-absorbed bitch with no class, and I am not marrying that, not now, not in ten years, not ever!"  
Melin's jaw fell to the side.   
"This is all your fault!" She turned slowly to glare at Sakura, then lunged, and was just about to plow her claw-like fingernails  
into her flesh when a hand grabbed her by the back of her "shirt".   
  
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" a deep voice boomed. Sakura took her hands away from her eyes to see the security guard sit   
Melin back on the ground.  
  
"What's the problem here?!" he asked, still holding her back.  
  
"This whore is having an affair with my husband!" Melin screamed. Li sweat dropped.  
  
"Is this true?" He turned to Li.  
  
"NO! I am not her husband! And I never will be! This is my cousin, and I think she forgot to take her medication!!"  
  
"I thought I threw you out of here an hour ago," the security guard eyed Melin suspiciously.  
  
"That must have been someone else," Melin lied deficiently.  
  
"I don't think so. Come with me, miss."  
Melin protested, and even fought back for a second, until the security guard spun her around and put handcuffs on her.  
As he was leading her away, she was still carrying on about how Li was hers, and how dare Sakura take him away from  
her, blah, blah, blah, until finally they were too far away to hear over the music.  
  
Li turned to Sakura with regret in his eyes.   
  
"Umm, come on Hubert. Let's go…away." Tomoyo lead him away, so Sakura and Li could be alone.  
  
"Sakura, I-"  
  
"What was she talking about!? Wedding?! You ran away!?! We need to talk!"  
  
She dragged him out into the parking lot so the people in the lobby would stop staring at them like they were crazy.  
  
"Talk!" She commanded. Li looked embarrassed.  
  
"Well, I don't know where to start."  
  
"Start at the beginning. Don't leave anything out."  
  
"Okay," he started slowly. "As you know, Melin wants to marry me." Sakura nodded. "After I left to go back home, our  
parents told me that I was betrothed to her. What followed was 5 years of, (Says in whiny voice) "Li, what color of icing  
should we get on the cake," and, "Li, why won't you wear a purple tux?! It's supposed to be the happiest day of my -er- our lives!"  
Then came this year. She decided she wanted to get married, and the little hoe gets everything she wants, and we were   
supposed to get married last month. So I ran away. There was no way that I was going to be forced into a loveless marriage  
for the rest of my life, at the age of sixteen for that matter."  
  
"So you came to me because you thought it was better than being stuck with Melin. She was at the resturant, wasn't she?"  
Sakura turned away from him.   
  
"I love you Sakura, I always will. I couldn't marry Melin, and I wouldn't anyways, even if you weren't here, for the  
reason that wherever you are, my heart will be with you, and Melin could never stop me from getting back to you. She tried   
very hard, but never succeeded. Forgive me?"  
  
Sakura threw her arms around the love of her life. "I forgive you. It's not your fault you're so lovable. How did you get here   
without anyone finding out?"  
  
"Well, the conceal card came in handy."  
  
"So it is useful for things other than stalking me."  
  
Li smiled, and they kissed, but that abruptly stopped when they heard the scrape of forthcoming footsteps across the pavement.   
  
Kris came staggering around the corner and approached them, a grin plastered on his face. He came right up to Sakura's face  
and squinted at her, trying to get her into focus.  
  
"Sakura?! 'Sat you?" he breathed. Sakura winced, as the stench of cheap beer filled her nostrils.  
  
"Oh, nasty! You've been drinking! Don't you know that that's illegal?"  
  
Kris giggled. "Who gives a damn?! Come on. Letz go…get…a ~*hiccup*~ drink!!"  
  
"Okay, back_right_ off!" Li pushed him away lightly.  
  
Kris was just realizing Li was there for the first time. He squinted at him too. "Hey, you're that guy…from that…place.   
What'r you doin' with my girlfriend?!" Kris had been out of school sick for the past week, and hadn't heard of them going out yet.  
  
"What are you talking about? I never went out with you!" Sakura yelled.  
  
"WHAT'S THIS GUY BEEN MESSIN' WITH YOUR HEAD WITH?!!! YOU'RE MINE! BRING IT ON, PALFRIEND!!"  
Li had a split second before he was punched in the head. You'd think someone that drunk wouldn't have as good aim, but   
somehow he did. They fought it out for a while, before Li started to get tired, but for some reason, Kris didn't tire at all. Kris  
swung at him with both his hands locked together, in what looked like a hammer, a move that would likely cause unconsciousness,   
but Li ducked just before he hit. He heard the smash of an impact, but felt no pain. He knew the reason when he saw Sakura  
fall to the ground with a moan, her eyes rolling back in her head. Kris had gone over his head and hit Sakura instead, who  
was standing behind Li. Her neck was bleeding considerably, and Li twisted around just in time to see Kris drop the long   
shard of glass from a broken bottle, which he had in his hand. He looked at the ground where she lay.  
  
"Look what you made me do!" He lunged at Li one more time, but Li was quick on the uptake. With anger coursing through  
him, he dropkicked Kris in the face. Kris finally fell in defeat. Satisfied that Kris wouldn't be coming after him, he ran to Sakura's side.  
  
"Sakura? Are you okay? Can you hear me?"   
  
No reply.  
  
He felt for her pulse. It was still there. Li breathed a sigh of relief, and examined the cut on her neck. It didn't look too deep,   
though it was definitely bleeding a lot. He ripped a long piece of cloth off of the bottom of his shirt and pressed it to her neck to  
stop the flow. She'd probably be okay. He took her up in his arms and carried her to the car, where he sat her gently in the seat  
and secured her seatbelt. Her head flopped to one side. It looked very uncomfortable, but it was all he could do for now.  
He ran to the other side of the car and threw himself into the driver's seat. He didn't even wait for the car to warm up before   
tearing off into the night…….  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Oh no! I've created a monster! (Now I'm ashamed to say I made Kris up!). What will happen next?  
You'll have to wait and see. I'm fresh outta ideas. Well, almost. Thanks for all the feedback everyone!   
Oh, F.Y.I - I'm pretty sure there's no way in hell that this is going to turn into a lemon.  



	7. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 7  
  
Well, here it is! You guys are all probably going to kill me, but someone's going to die. It has to be done. It had to happen sometime!  
  
Sakura: Oh please! Don't kill me!  
  
Me: Are you trying to make me give the story away!?! Jeeze!  
  
Sakura: I repeat, please don't kill me!!!!  
  
Thanks to Kyralea!   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*  
  
Well, as you all know, I definitely don't own these characters, except Kris, as I've already let you know :)   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Li carried Sakura up the front steps to her house. He kicked the door a couple of times,   
since his hands were full with her unconscious body, hoping that her father would be the   
one to open it and not her brother. He just couldn't get break like that. The door whipped open.  
  
"WHAT_DID_YOU_DO!?!?!?"  
  
"RELAX!!!!!!!!!!!" The volume of his voice surprised even him, "I didn't do anything!!!"  
  
He pushed past Tory into the house, ignoring the look on his face.  
  
"You can leave now!"  
  
"Are you going to make me? I'll kick your ass you if you touch me, and if you think I'm joking,  
just try me." Li knew he could do it. For some reason, Tory seemed to believe him.  
  
Tory began to speak, but then closed his mouth again and simply glared at Li as he walked up the stairs to  
Sakura's room.  
  
He laid her down on her bed and then flicked on the lamp beside her bed. He took the blood-soaked piece  
of fabric off of her neck and scrutinized the gash, much easier in the light. It was deeper than he had thought,  
and there was dried blood everywhere. He found the bathroom and got the peroxide and skin tape, and a big   
bandage, and took them back to her room. The good thing about being out cold he guessed, was that she wouldn't   
feel how badly it stung to get peroxide in her neck.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Aiden entered his little girl's room expecting the worst, but was quiet surprised.   
  
"He's not…He...He's not in her bed!"  
  
Tory was standing behind him, glaring at Li's turned back. He was kneeling on the floor, his head on his folded arms on the bed, eyes closed.  
  
"How can you let him be here? Look what he did!"  
  
Aiden looked at what he did.   
  
"If you want me to be mad at him, you're going to be very disappointed."  
  
"I know you're talking about me," came a muffled voice from Li's enfolded arms.  
  
"What's your name, son?"  
  
"Syaoran Li," he replied, his back still turned.  
  
"Well, what happened?"  
  
"Tell Satan to stop glaring at me and get lost, and I'll tell you."  
  
Aiden looked at Tory, guessing that he was "Satan", and motioned for him to leave, quickly stepping into the  
room and closing the door softly behind him, before he had a chance to object.  
  
"Now, what happened?"  
  
"No offense sir, but I think you should be concerned with Sakura's state of health more than anything right now."  
  
Aiden nodded. "It looks like you've done a fine job on the bandage. You've had experience?"  
  
"Yes. I had to learn how to clean wounds, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't ask me why, because I'd rather not tell you."  
  
"I can respect that." He wondered why this youth was so defensive. "Now tell me what happened," he demanded seriously.  
  
Li explained everything, and when he was finished Aiden nodded slowly.  
  
"Okay. Thank you. I think you should go home now, and I'll take it from here."  
  
He opened the door, and Tory fell in. Apparently he had had his ear pressed to the door the whole time.  
  
"I don't believe him. He's just trying to get out of trouble."  
  
"You don't get it, do you?" Li looked softly at her face, a beam of moonlight was shining on her face, making her look   
even more like an angel. At least to Li. He softly stroked her face. "I love Sakura," He started softly."And nothing is  
going to break that. Not distance on a map, not death, not torture," he turned to Tory, "and sure as hell not you. So please  
leave me alone and stop trying to slaughter me. I'm a human being, just like you claim to be, and I don't appreciate being  
screamed at each and every time I come here. I'm not going to nail your sister the first chance I get, so you have nothing  
to worry about there."  
  
Tory was stunned. He really made it sound convincing. Maybe he was truthful.   
  
"I'll leave now." Li stood up to go.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sakura heard voices. Something about death…slaughter…screaming. Her neck stung. She could distinguish the voice.  
It was Li. She heard him say that.....that....He'd leave now?! She opened her eyes as far as she could, which wasn't very  
far at the moment, and threw her arm up.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Li felt a soft tug at the bottom of his shirt. He turned. It was Sakura.  
  
"Stay," she whispered softly.  
  
He fell to the side of her bed again. "Oh, Ying-fa!" He whispered shakily. "I'm so sorry this happened."  
  
"It's not your fault."  
  
"Ssssh. Don't speak," her father said. Sakura tried to turn her head to face them, only to moan softly in pain. Tory made  
a move to enter, but Aiden put his arm out to stop him.   
  
"Don't. It's not your place. Syaoran can stay. You are my son, and I love you, but this is not where you live, and you need  
to go back to your own house. I understand that you're worried for your sister, but you've been very discourteous to her   
and this young man, and I think you need some time to cool down."  
  
Tory nodded, after narrowing his eyes at Li for a moment. "Okay. I guess I can see that he loves her, and I _GUESS_ I can  
accept that, but that doesn't mean that I'll ever like it." He finally left.  
  
Aiden turned back to the picture before him and sighed. "Come on. Let's let her rest."  
  
Li followed reluctantly. Aiden lead him to the living room.  
  
"Have a seat."  
  
Li flopped down onto the couch and sighed.  
  
"Now, tell me, where do you come from?"  
  
"I…er…China." Li didn't want it to have to come to this.  
  
"Where do you live now?"  
  
"…" he really didn't want it to come to this.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"I…um…well…the motel down town."  
  
"Not the trashy one!"  
  
Li nodded.  
  
"Where are your parents?"   
  
"My mother's in China…"  
  
"And your father?"  
  
"He's been dead for a long time."  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry. How did you get here?"  
  
"I…er… came on a ship." He couldn't tell him that he had stowed away in an airplane using the Conceal card.  
  
"Why did you come all this way, if you don't mind me asking?"  
  
So Li told him pretty much exactly what he told Sakura, plus some. He finally stopped half an hour later.  
  
"Now I remember! Your that kid who likes archeology."  
  
"That would be me."  
  
"And now you're dating my little girl. I won't stand for this!"  
  
"WHAT!?!?! I thought you liked me!"  
  
"Oh, no no, not that! What I meant was, I can't stand by and let you live in a trashy motel."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Come live here. With Tory gone, we have an extra room. You can stay here till you, er, settle things with your family."  
  
"Okay, now I know your joking. You actually trust me? That much? For real?"  
  
"You've given me no reason not to. As long as it stays that way, you can stay."  
  
"Thank you, Kinomoto- san. I appreciate this more than you can imagine, but I have to say,  
aren't you being a bit umm, what's the word?"  
  
"Over-trusting? Hey, just stay away from one room in the house- I'm sure you know which one  
I mean- and we'll get along great. Now let's go check on Sakura, shall we?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sakura woke the next morning with the sun on her face. It was 7:57.  
  
'Was all that just a dream? Did I really get stabbed in the neck?'   
  
She turned her head and felt the familiar pain again. She groaned.   
  
"I should have known."  
  
"Hey, how are you feeling?"  
  
Sakura jumped at the sound of another voice. "Li! Aaargh, I feel like I got hit by a bus."  
  
"Painkillers wearing off, huh?"  
  
"Yup. Did I go to the hospital?"  
  
"Not yet. By the way, since we're dating now, it would be nice if you used my first name. "  
  
"Sorry, force of habit. Why are you still here?"  
  
"I'm going to be here for a while."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Your dad invited me to stay. At least until I get my Meilin problem sorted out."  
  
"Oh. Little over-trusting, huh? AAAAAAAH_MY_NECK!!"  
  
"Quit trying to move. It'll only make it feel worse."  
  
"I'm ready to go to the hospital, _NOW_. When can we leave?!"  
  
"As soon as you get out of bed."  
  
"Just let me get dressed and we can go- Hey, I'm not in pajamas!"  
  
"Do you really think I'd be that desperate?"   
  
"If I didn't have a flap of skin missing, I'd-" She tightened her hand into a fist.  
  
"No you wouldn't."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The entire trip to the hospital was horror. Sakura kept crying softly in pain whenever Mr.Kinomoto accidentally  
ran over a bump, or whenever She moved at all. Li held her hand the entire way there, hoping she was okay and   
wishing she would stop crying out, for it hurt him knowing that she was in pain and he couldn't do anything about it.  
Mr. Kinimoto noticed repeatedly the worried look on the poor boy's face, and thought again and again how lucky  
his daughter was. They finally made it to the hospital, Sakura giving one more cry in pain before she finally fainted.  
After the doctors checked her out to make sure she was okay, they had been waiting at the hospital a grand total of  
5 hours. Aiden couldn't understand why they wouldn't take her in right away. Li had gone to see what was the matter,  
and still hadn't come back. When he did return, his face was VERY white. He told Sakura's father what was going on,  
and when he finished his face was just as white as Li's. The doctor called them both from the counter.  
  
"We just finished fixing her up, she got a pretty deep cut right there, but we put in a few stitches and now she fine. Um,  
we gave her a few painkillers, and don't think us as babies here, but her cries were kinda scary."  
  
Li snorted.  
  
"Can we see her?" He asked  
  
Sakura's dad looked at the young boy. He was still as worried about her as he was in the car, but he was trying his best not to show it. He smiled.  
  
'The poor boy's in love.'  
  
"Yeah, in fact she can go home whenever your ready to take her." The doctor said.  
  
"Hey, Li, why don't you get her and take her to the car? I'll go warm it up." Mr.Kinomoto said.  
  
Li looked a little startled, but he agreed. The doctor led him to Sakura's room, as her dad walked off.  
  
"Syaoron?" He heard. His head whipped to Sakura's bed. She was smiling, but she looked really tired.  
  
"Hey, Sakura. Are you feeling ok?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm ok. What all happened? What took them so long?"  
  
Li's face went pale.  
  
"Um, I'll tell you on the way to the car."  
  
Li walked back with her from the examination room, explaining what had happened, leaving out a few names. She  
was walking kind of weird, making it hard for Li to keep her in the conversation. Though he was pretty sure she didn't  
fully understand any of what he was saying.  
  
'Now I know they gave her too many painkillers.'  
  
"I hope he drops dead." She had a disgusted look on her face.  
  
Li shuddered in spite of himself.  
  
As they passed by a door, they heard strangled screeching and moaning, and a lot of thrashing, and that prayer, "as I walk   
through this valley of death…"  
  
Li quickened his pace and took Sakura's arm to lead her away, but she refused to budge. She felt drawn to the room, and before  
Li could stop her, she tripped over to the half-closed door and poked her head inside.   
  
She saw an arm in between a preacher and 2 worried looking people. It was Kris's arm, the arm she had seen right before she felt  
the horrible stabbing pain in her neck, and she felt an urge to rip that arm off, despite being heavily sedated.   
  
Li grabbed her arm tightly in a last futile attempt to stop her and looked her in the eyes very grimly, silently pleading with her not  
to go in. She pulled out of his grip and entered without a sound, stumbling a tiny bit. What she saw, once she could see past the other  
three forms was the worst thing she had ever seen her life.  
  
It was Kris all right. He was strapped down to the medical table. She had seen this type of thing before, in a video they had had to  
watch at school. It was some kind of safety precaution….? He was going through convulsions or something, and the veins on his   
arms were popping out. His eyes were glazed over, and the look on his sweating face was one of pure terror. Doctors were working  
hastily around him, and a woman, most likely his mother was holding his hand, weeping hysterically. Li pulled her away just before  
the irregular bleeping of the machine that measures heart rate stopped. It all happened in a matter of seconds.   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
She was letting herself be pulled down the hall, absent to the world. Li stopped when they got to the end of the hallway.  
  
"Sakura, why did you do that?!?" he freaked.  
  
"I had to!"  
  
"No, you didn't! Now-"  
  
"What did you do?!?!"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"What did you do to him!?!?"  
  
"I didn't do anything to him! Calm down! I'll tell you what happened!"  
  
"WELL!?!?!" Sakura was going a _little_ bit mental.  
  
"He O.D.d!"  
  
"Come again?"  
  
"He overdosed! He was on steroids and he overdosed! That plus he got alcohol poisoning! Settle down -hey, stop blinking so  
much, you're freaking me out. No, I'm not going to jail! (Sakura kept interrupting him) I_didn't_do_anything. They gave you   
way too many pain killers."  
  
Sakura collapsed into him, in hysterical tears. He could see he would get nowhere with her like this. He picked her up off the  
ground, and she continued sobbing. He took her into an empty room and sat her on the bed, then sat down beside her.  
  
"Sakura, listen to me."  
  
She nodded through her tears.  
  
"It's all right. Shhhhh, it's okay. Calm down." He put his arm around her.   
  
After she calmed down and was only sniffling, he tried to explain again.  
  
"Sakura, can you understand me?"  
  
"Yeah! I'm not stupid."  
  
"Then listen very closely." He re-explained, and this time she seemed to get it.  
  
"That's why we had to wait so long. He came in a while after us, when you were passed out again. They decided his case  
was more serious, so they took him in first."  
  
Sakura drew in a shaky breath. "It was so scary. I've never seen someone die." She almost began to cry again.  
  
"Come on. We've got to get you home. Your dad's going to kill me for letting you see that."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Oh my God, are you okay?!?" Madison rushed into Sakura's room and threw her arms around her injured friend.  
  
"OOOOOOW! Step away, before you kill me!"  
  
"Sorry! I forgot! What happened? Li just called and told me you were hurt!"  
  
"It was Kris, and he's dead."  
  
"WHA-!"  
  
"I saw him die."  
  
"Oh my god, did Li kill him?!"  
  
"Umm, if he did I wouldn't think the police would let a murderer run free."  
  
Sakura explained everything that had happened the night before.  
  
"Wow. I wouldn't have guessed that he of all people… I guess he really would kill to go out with you."  
  
"Please don't talk about him, especially when making sad attempts to cheer me up."  
  
"Sorry. Where's Kero?"  
  
"He's ragging on Li. He's moving in."  
  
"W_H_A_T!?!"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Wow. I'd like to see everyone's face when you tell them that."  
  
"I know. They probably wouldn't be surprised by anything I tell them anymore."  
  
"Madison, Mr. Kinomoto says to go back to your own house before you start gathering dust." Li leaned against the doorframe.  
  
"Your one to talk."  
  
"Hey, just joking. Actually, he wants Sakura to get some rest."  
  
"Okay. I'll leave in a sec."  
  
"See ya later." He left again,waving over his shoulder as he walked away.  
  
"Why won't he come in?"  
  
"It's like the threshold between life and a painful bloody death."  
  
"Your dad set down the rules already, huh?Well, guess I better go. I'll drop by tomorrow, okay?"  
  
"Alright. Madison?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Don't tell anyone about this, okay. I don't want to be the center of attention."  
  
"Your going to have a hard time covering that up till it heals. Hopefully you don't go out of your way hiding it and  
seriously hurt yourself. See you tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah. Bye."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Okay, that's all I could think of for now. Scared ya, didn't I?? Thought I was going to kill Sakura?  
Hey, this thing gets better! Serious plot twist coming up soon. Okay, just to avoid emails asking about   
that whole steroids thing, it's all made up, except for the video at school part (Can you believe they made  
us watch those? Is that sick or what?!) Hey, look! There's a little space at the bottom of this page! It's   
where you put reviews, for anyone who doesn't know and NEVER DOES. Thanks so much to those people who do, though.   
Sakura-Chans (yes, that is plural), OR, Lullaby, Kyralea, Digidynasty, Fire Angle, Darkness of Death, Chibi   
Sakura, Melzart (okay, I'm going to stop now.), this is for you guys. If I left anyone out, sorry, but I have   
to hurry up. My time limit on the net. is at it's end.   
P.S. Okay, there's like twenty different authors with the name Annie now.I'm definately going to change mine soon.  
  



	8. Sweet Sixteen ch.8

Chapter 8!   
  
Wow, this thing just keeps getting longer and longer! I can't think of any author's   
notes for now, so I'll just start writing….  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I don't own Card Captor Sakura, so don't sue me, cuz I've got no money.  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sakura woke in a cold sweat. That was one of the worst ones so far.  
What day was it? Thursday? How did she get on the floor?  
  
She sat up on her bed after picking herself up off the floor and untangling  
herself from within the twisted sheets. The card mistress rubbed here eyes,   
then let out a sigh as she caught sight of herself in the full-length mirror. Her hair was  
flat on one side, poofy on the other, and she had a big red crease across her cheek  
from where she had been sleeping on the pillow. She put her hand to the jagged red   
slash mark across her neck. It was in the process of healing, and it didn't look very nice at all.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Li's POV)   
'I'm sorry, but I have to go back. It's my family duty… I have to!'  
'Syaoran, wake up!'  
  
"Huh?!" his eyes snapped open. Sakura was staring at him from the doorway.  
  
"Sakura? What time is it? Go back to sleep!"  
  
"Wake up."  
  
"Nooo-o! I don't want to." He was whining like a baby.  
  
'And he's the warrior? Shesh.' She thought to herself.   
She walked into the room and yanked the cord on the horizontal blinds covering the  
window, causing them to jerk open. Sunlight flashed into the room. Li moaned and  
groaned, and somehow ended up in a sitting position.   
  
"What?! It's early!" he whined, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"It's almost 7:30! We have to get going! And I need to talk to you about something."  
The warrior/5 year old rubbed his eyes.  
  
"Wha_at? Did you have another dream?"  
  
"Yes. He was chasing me. His skin was green, and-"   
  
"You were dreaming about the Incredible Hulk."  
  
"Just listen to me! How can I get rid of them?! I'm almost afraid to go to sleep!"  
  
"That's pretty serious. Maybe you should go see a doctor or something. I don't know  
what to do for you. Especially at this time in the morning," He yawned.  
  
"Do you even care?! You sure aren't acting like it!" she stood by his bedside.  
  
"Sakura, look! Of course I care! I care about you more than anything in my life,  
including life, but I have serious things on my mind as well, and I just woke up,   
and it's early, and I'm exhausted, and -"  
Sakura drew him into a deep kiss. After they parted, Li paused, and then began   
to speak in a calm voice. "Okay. I know it really frightened you, but you have to  
get on with life. You can't keep reliving the moment and expect that it'll go away.   
Move on, and stop beating yourself up over him. He did some really stupid things,   
and one of them almost killed you. There's no reason for you to live like this."   
He hugged her close to him.  
  
"I know, but it seems impossible. They just keep coming back. It's like he doesn't  
want to leave me alone, even though he's dead. I can't help it."  
  
"I know it's not your fault. You'll get through it somehow. Believe me, I know you can do it."  
  
"As long as I have you with me, I know I'll be okay. You'll stay with me forever, right?"  
Li's muscles tensed, along with his grip on her.  
"Syaoran? Li? What is it?"  
  
"We'd better get ready for school. Don't want to be late on your first day back."   
"Oh… okay."  
  
"Just one question though?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"How is it, that you're allowed in my room, but I'm not allowed in yours?"  
  
"Got me," she said absently, "See you downstairs."  
She left his room without another word. She could obviously tell he was troubled.  
  
Li dressed slowly. What was going on? What was his dream about? Was it a sign?   
It couldn't be. He put the thought out of his mind as he searched around the room for  
his school bag. Along with Sakura's nightmares, he had been having a few of his own   
lately, of the scariest thing that could ever happen. Leaving again.   
  
He finally found his schoolbag and went downstairs. Sakura was eating cornflakes at   
the table, and Kero was stuffing his face with some multi-colored substance.   
"Syaoran?" She asked him as he entered the kitchen.  
  
"Hmmm?"   
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
He hesitated again. He didn't want to worry her. She already had enough on her mind. "Well, I was just thinking."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About, what I'd do if I ever lost you." He hoped she would settle for that answer.  
  
"What would you do?"  
  
"I would probably kill myself." He mentally slapped himself. 'Yeah, that's really going to worry her less.'  
Kero promptly spit a gob of marshmallow breakfast cereal onto the table as he screamed.  
  
"WHAT!? No way you would do that!"  
  
"What's wrong? Am I supposed to believe that you're actually starting to like me?"  
  
"NO!" kero said quickly, "It's just that… kill yourself?" he said meekly, as a marshmallow star ran down the side or his furry face.  
  
"I would have no reason to live. All this death talk has got me thinking, what if today  
is my last day? Or tomorrow?" this was true. He had been wondering if each day  
was his last, but not on earth.  
  
Sakura shivered. "I see. Let's not talk about dying anymore." it seemed that Li had   
thought up a good enough lie to get by on. She said no more about it.  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
"I'm going to school! You'd better hurry up!"   
  
"I'm ready to go!"  
  
"Er, are you planning on going to school without a shirt on?"  
  
"Good point." He looked at his school uniform shirt hanging over the back of a chair with  
a giant food stain on it. Kero had really bad aim when he got freaked out.   
"I'll catch up. Go without me. And Sakura?"  
  
"Yes?"   
  
"I love you."  
  
She kissed him softly on the lips before running out the door. Li sighed, and grabbed his shirt  
off the back of the chair. He'd have to find something else to wear, before he was   
TOTALLY late for school.  
~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
She walked into the classroom. Actually, it was more of a shuffle  
  
"Hey! Your back! Why were you gone so long?" Nikki said as she and Chelsea ran to greet her.  
  
"Yeah, we missed you!" Chelsea said.  
  
"Oh, umm I was sick."  
  
"That must have been quite a bug!"  
  
"Uh, yeah, whatever you say."  
  
"What I don't get is why Madison wouldn't tell us what it was." Nikki puzzled.  
  
"And where has that Kris been? Do you know he still owes me twenty bucks from two weeks ago?!"  
  
"What a leech." Kris wasn't their favorite person in the whole world these days.  
  
Sakura shuddered, "Guys, don't talk about him like that."  
  
"Why not? Are you going out with him now?"  
  
"No, I… just don't. Why would you lend him twenty dollars anyways?" Sakura changed   
the subject. She had almost forgotten that nobody knew about what happened at the hospital.  
She pulled her turtleneck sweater up as far as she could.  
  
"Hello my sweet." Li hugged her from behind.  
  
"It's nice to see you finally showed up."  
  
"I thought I'd better. I have a science test today."  
  
"I hope you didn't leave your socks in the sink again. That's got to be your grossest habit."  
  
"Hey, it's not my fault I stepped in chocolate pudding. That little stuffed animal needs to learn how to clean up after himself."  
  
Nikki and Chelsea stood there with their jaws hanging open.  
  
"Sakura, what are you two talking about?" Chelsea was the first to speak.  
  
"Why are HIS socks in YOUR sink??" Nikki practically yelled.  
  
Sakura giggled. "I'll leave that up to your imaginations."  
  
"Oh, my god. They did it!"  
  
"Oh my god!"  
  
"No we didn't. I'm not sure I want to leave this up to your imaginations."  
He took his seat across from Sakura just as Zachary came running in the door, with less than  
a minute before the bell rang to start class.  
Nikki and Chelsea were now whispering excitedly to each other, probably trying to figure out what was going on.  
"Hey! I made it!" Zachary heaved his backpack up onto his desk and took out a bunch of books.  
  
"Yeah, I noticed. Did you get the history homework finished?"  
  
"Oh no! I knew I forgot something! Now I have less than ten seconds to think up an excuse!"  
Zachary was freaking out.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It was lunch break. Their whole group was walking out to the tree that they usually ate lunch by.  
The leaves crunched pleasantly under their feet. Sakura was still upset from the dream. They  
were just about to sit down when Sakura saw something out of the corner of her eye. It looked like…Kris!   
  
'But that's not possible!' she thought, and decided to forget about it.  
  
She had just taken a bite out of her sandwich, when Zachary shouted, "Hey, isn't that Kris?"  
Sakura turned around, even though she knew he was dead, and there he was, coming towards  
them. She, Li, and Nikki stood up. Sakura couldn't believe it. How could this be possible?!   
She knew the answer. It wasn't. But yet there he was. She narrowed her eyes and stalked across  
the yard, with Li and Chelsea right next to her, and Madison getting up to follow.  
  
Kris looked terrible. He had black circles around his eyes, and he looked a lot skinnier than he was before.  
  
"Where's my money?" Chelsea demanded. He held out a 20 and she snatched it away from him.  
Madison now stood on Sakura's other side. Sakura glared into his red-rimmed eyes.  
  
"Hey, Sakura, I-"  
  
"SHUT up."  
  
"Wait, I-"  
  
"WHY_ARE YOU_ALIVE!?!?!!!!!!!!!" She screamed in his face.  
  
"I've asked myself that a couple of times over the past-"   
  
SMACK!  
She slapped him so hard, a red handprint appeared on his face instantly.  
("All right Sakura," Madison cheered)  
  
"OW! What was that for?!?"  
  
"WHATWASTHATFOR!?!?!!!" she pulled down the neck of her sweater and ripped the  
bandage off to reveal the giant scab on her neck. "THAT was for this, and a week of nightmares,   
and making me traumatized for life, thinking that you were dead!!!!!!!!!!" to top it off, she kicked   
him in the balls before turning on her heel and going back to the tree. Everyone in hearing range was   
staring at her, but she didn't care. She plopped down onto the bench of the picnic table and took a livid  
bite of her sandwich, staring straight ahead at nothing in particular.  
  
Li looked down at Kris, who was now rolling on the ground holding his balls and making a truly unusual face.  
  
"Hey, tough luck. Stay away from my girlfriend, unless you want to find out what I can do to them." He looked  
at Kris one last time, then left to join his friends.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The rest of the day crept by, and Sakura stayed pissed off through the whole of it. It was particularly irritating,  
because now that she had revealed the wound, her friends were pestering her every five seconds asking if she  
was all right. She had already refused to tell them what had happened, telling them to go ask Kris, but people   
still kept asking her.  
  
Finally it was over. Sakura decided to stay after school to get caught up on her assignments, and told Li to go home  
because it would probably take a long time. She was left with the homework for the three days she had been away,  
which turned out to be a lot less than she had expected there to be. She got everything she needed out of her   
locker, and began to walk home.  
~*~*~  
  
The sun was beginning to set in the distance. Sakura quickened her pace and pulled her sweater neck up   
against the cold autumn wind. Brown crinkly leaves swirled over the ground. She could hear the distant   
cawing of a crow. But then there was something else. It sounded like footsteps, slightly off pace to her own.  
She decided that all the attention was driving her loony, and pushed the thought to the farthest corner of her   
mind. There was no way Kris would try anything…would he?   
  
She had barely thought the thought, when a hand clamped over her mouth and she found herself being pulled  
into a dark alleyway. She struggled to scream and get away, but it was no use. Her attacker pulled her further  
into the darkness. She felt warm breath on the left side of her face. The assailant whispered in her ear,  
"Don't scream. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk."  
The hand was lifted away from her mouth.   
  
"What do you want?" She turned around and it was, as she had accurately guessed, Kris.   
  
"I just want to talk to you." He repeated.  
  
"I suggest that you start talking before I start running."  
  
"Okay, I just want to explain to you. And apologize. I'm sorry Sakura. I could blame it on being drunk  
and high, but I know that in the end it's my fault, and I truly am sorry for what I did."  
  
"Yeah, well so is my poor serrated windpipe. You're supposed to be dead. I do not see a coffin  
anywhere near you. I thought I saw you die."  
  
"What you saw was what happened when the heart-rate monitor got accidentally unplugged from the wall."  
  
"WHAT!?!?!?!? Are you trying to tell me that I've been picturing your rotting carcass for a week,   
and you couldn't even have the courtesy to be dead?!?!"  
  
"Yes. I don't blame you if you hate me."  
  
"Well that's a good thing or we'd have a pretty big problem!"  
  
"Alright. I just wanted you to know. And please don't tell your boyfriend that I dragged you here.  
I want to come out of this with all of my major organs intact."  
  
"Why should I do that for you? After all, you did try to kill him."  
  
"Because I'm working to fix my life, and I'm not doing those things anymore, and I already have too  
much to work against without adding a crazy bodyguard to the mix."  
  
"Just stay away from me, and I won't tell him."  
  
"Thank you. It's more than I deserve."  
  
"You've got that right. I'm going now, and if you follow me, consider yourself dickless."  
  
"Got it. Goodbye forever, Sakura."   
  
"Bye."  
She walked out of the alley, anxious to get to the warmth of her own home. She was thinking about   
the conversation she had just had as she walked. It was funny. She even let out a small chuckle. What   
would Li say if he knew that other guys feared him the same way that he feared Tory?  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Li was just plopping down onto the couch at the same time Sakura was getting home. The wind sucked  
the door shut behind her with a loud slam that made her jump.   
"Back so soon?"  
  
"I didn't have as much work to catch up on as I thought."  
  
"Oh. Care to join us? The Guardian Beast and I were just about to watch a movie."  
  
"What's this? Guardian Beast? Are you dying?"  
  
"No. We just decided that if I don't want to be called The Brat, or any of the other things that he's   
called me which aren't repeatable, I have to stop making fun of him."  
  
"He hid your study notes again, didn't he?"  
  
"I'm THIS close to finding them."  
  
"I guess that would also explain why you rented Spice World?"  
  
"How does she do it? That critt- er, I mean, Guardian Beast has really bad taste."  
Out of the blue Kero popped up from behind the couch and smacked his ear.   
  
"Ouch! I'm just stating a fact! Nobody likes the Spice Girls anymore!"  
  
"And I care because?! Ginger is sooooo cute!" his eyes went all starry.  
  
"I'm sure she'd say the same thing about you." Li got an impish look in his face.  
  
"Okay, you just lost all hope of passing your mid-terms."  
  
"You're forgetting that I'm about 5 feet bigger than you."  
  
"Good point."  
  
"Now either hand over the papers, or watch Ginger from the bottom of my shoe."  
  
"OKAY! YOU WIN!! They're in the bottom of Sakura's underwear drawer. You should have NO   
problem with going in there." Kero risked an eyebrow.  
  
Sakura glared at Kero. "At least he's in a position where he would be allowed to go through it!"   
  
"I AM?!"   
  
"He is?!"  
  
Sakura laughed all the way to the kitchen.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's notes:  
Hi everyone! It's been a while…I hope you all liked this chapter. It wasn't really that long, I know.   
It might take me a while to get the next chapter out again, cuz I have NO idea where this story is going,  
but you never know. I might end up with another one done by Friday! Everyone loving Kero's  
obsession with Ginger Spice? I thought it would be cute ^_~   
I'll try 2 get the next chapter up soon. If you read this, PLEASE review!   
  
Hey, guess what? Me and Kyralea are writing a fic together! It's called Near and Far.  
The group has to travel to a distant land to capture a VERY powerful clow card. Swing by   
and check it out if ya like. We've even got a picture of the card that we invented on out bio page.   
Our penname is Annilea, just to let you know. Okay, enough with this shameless self-promotion. I've gotta split. :o)  



	9. Sweet Sixteen ch.9

Chapter 9

I'm back again! Here's chapter nine, all ready for you to read _and_ review (nudge nudge, hint hint). I'm still not sure where this is going. We'll just have to wait and see………..

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Li woke up the next morning and it was still dark out. He could still hear her crying for him not to leave her again. He realized that he had been holding his breath, and let it out slowly. A sliver of moonlight fell across his face. He shivered from the coldness in the room. After living in Hong Kong for so long, he had almost forgotten what the autumn nights could be like in the Tomeda district. He knew it was no use trying to get back to sleep. He almost didn't want to, for fear of having another dream, so he lay in bed, thinking things over.

He kept seeing Melin in the dream, standing there gazing at him with a satisfied look on her face. What did that look mean, anyways? It looked to him like she was gloating about something, and he didn't want to find out what that something was.

Just a few weeks before, he'd been pretty screwed up, but now that he was with Sakura, everything was okay. She was his other half, and when he was with her, everything seemed right. He thought about maybe telling Sakura about his dream, but finally decided once again that it would make her worry over nothing.

He finally surrendered to his drooping eyelids and drifted back to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When he woke up again four hours later, he plastered a smile onto his face, hoping nobody would realize how he was really feeling, but the smile quickly faded, because he knew he wouldn't be able to keep it up all day.

He went downstairs and into the kitchen silently, being careful to keep a safe distance away from Kero so that he didn't get gloop all over himself again.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked as he pulled a bowl out of the cupboard.

"Just a bad dream."

"Come on Syaoran, that's exactly the same look you'd get when you were a kid and there was something wrong. Tell .Me .What. It. Is."

"Nothing's wrong! I just didn't get much sleep last night, okay? Is there something wrong with that?!" he raised his voice considerably.

"Excuse me for caring!" she threw the orange juice container back into the fridge and slammed the door, making the refrigerator wobble as if it was about to fall over. There was a long silence, in which the only sound was crunching.

"Look Sakura, I'm sorry. I'm just not feeling that good today. I shouldn't have jumped at you like that."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He thought for a moment, on the verge of saying yes. "No."

"Alright. I won't bug you about it anymore."

He almost wished she would bug him some more. It was killing him that he couldn't tell anyone about his fear. After all, that was the 'man' thing to do, right? Hide your problems and not drag the people you love into it? Either way, he decided it was, so he just thought about it to himself while he chewed his breakfast cereal. 

Sakura's dad came downstairs.

"Good morning kids."

"Morning dad."

"Morning, Mr. Kinomoto."

"Sakura, how many times do I have to tell you, stuffed animals don't eat food," Her father said as he picked Kero up by the tail and threw him across the room onto the couch. 

"Sorry dad. Old habits die hard, I guess." She stifled a giggle as a muffled obscenity came from across the room and Aiden looked to see where it had come from.

"I'm going to be home early tonight. What should I make for dinner? Is lasagna okay?"

"Sure dad. Whatever you make, I'm sure it will be good."

"Not to mention that you won't have to cook it yourself?" He raised an eyebrow at his daughter.

"We'd better be going soon. Don't want to be late for school," she said cheerfully.

"What's the matter, Li? Is there something bothering you?" 

Li wondered to himself if he was really that readable.

"No, I'm fine Kinomoto-san. It's just that I didn't sleep too well. I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Okay then. I'll see you kids after school," he said as Li and Sakura left the table and headed for the door.

"Bye dad!"

"Goodnight…I mean, goodbye." Li shook his head at himself. He truly was tired.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Li was about ready to fall asleep for the rest of the day. He actually did in history class. Terada sensei was spouting off names and dates to the rest of the class (Half of which was asleep anyways), when he spotted Li in the middle of the room with his head down on his open textbook, snoozing peacefully. He walked over and brought his meter stick down on the corner of his desk with such a loud snap that Li's head shot straight up (along with the rest of those who were sleeping)

"Attila the Hun?!" Li yelled.

The rest of the class snickered at him.

Terada sensei looked at him sternly. 

"What?" Li asked innocently, looking back at him and rubbing one eye.

"I'll speak to you in the hall." Li got that sinking feeling in his stomach. "The rest of you start working on the chapter I've assigned." He told the class.

Li followed Mr. Terada into the hall.

"Li, what's going on? You've been one of my best students, even when I was teaching at the elementary school. You've never fallen asleep in class before."

"Maybe it was just because this lesson was exceptionally boring." He yawned, then realized his mistake, "I mean-um…I…" he turned red.

Mr. Terada gave him the look.

"Sorry. I'll try to stay awake." he stretched his arms and yawned again.

"Good idea. You'll have to copy today's note from someone, now let's get back to class."

Student followed teacher back into the room, and Li tried to keep his eyes open in the dimly lit room for the next half hour. It was lucky for him that Zachary was there to nudge him every time he fell asleep and was about to fall over out of his seat.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura met Li after school to walk home.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Tired."

"I heard. Someone told me you fell asleep in history class."

"I d-d-di-id." He yawned. "How are you feeling?" he asked, referring to her neck.

"Oh, it's itching really bad, but other than that it's okay."

"I hope you have enough strength to drag me home if I pass out in the middle of the road."

"My hero," she muttered. He smiled back at her sleepily and kissed her on the cheek. They walked the rest of the way home in silence 

for the most part.

When they walked in the door, Aiden was in the kitchen cooking supper.

"How was school?" he asked Sakura.

"It was okay. Nobody brought bombs or anything."

"That's always good to hear, but I really wish you wouldn't joke about things like that."

"Sorry dad." She watched him lay a giant noodle over the top of the meat and cheese.

"Where's Syaoran?"

"Probably asleep on the couch."

"Still tired is he? What's he been doing, running marathons behind our backs? You'd think he hadn't slept in days."

"Something gives me the feeling that he hasn't."

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "What would give you that feeling?"

"I don't know. He's just been acting weird lately." She looked around the corner, and sure enough, there he was, passed out on the couch with (For some strange reason) Kero snuggled up to his neck. "Yep. _Definitely_ acting weird." He still had his shoes on.

"It's probably just stress. He's going through a lot, by the sound of it."

"Hmmm. Maybe."

"I hope you're hungry." He presented his finished pasta to her, all ready to be cooked.

"You're making enough to feed a family of twelve!"

"That means you won't have to cook for that much longer." He put it in the oven.

Sakura groaned. "I hate leftovers."

"Then you'll just have to eat a lot tonight."

She threw her hands up in the air and walked out of the kitchen to wake Li up. As she stood beside him, she considered covering his mouth and plugging his nose to wake him up, but then decided that he probably wouldn't like that very much. Instead she sat down on the edge of the couch and shook him gently.

"Syaoran, wake up." She sang gently.

"Hmmm?" one of his eyes flickered open.

"Hey, come on get up. Other people live here too. You can't hog all the furniture to yourself."

He was sprawled out over the entire length of the couch.

"Oh, sorry." He stretched his arms and breathed deeply.

"What's with you two?"

"Huh?" he looked at her like she was insane.

"You and Kero? You seem to be getting along much better than yesterday."

"Oh," he blushed as he realized that he still had a little yellow ball of fluff clinging to his neck. "I called a truce."

"Wow, I'm impressed."

"You should be. I had to buy him a box of Twinkies to get him to finally agree."

"Let's hope they hold out longer than the last box. Move over. I want to watch TV."

"Forget it. First come first serve."

"Oh, that's real nice! You're supposed to worship the ground I walk on!"

He grinned at her. "Since when?"

"Since forever." She grinned back as he reached out and began to tickle her, pulling her closer. Kero woke up just in time to be squashed between the two as Sakura fell into him. She was giggling madly when the doorbell rang.

"Sakura, can you get that? I have a garlic situation here!" her father yelled from the kitchen.

"Just a second!" she yelled, and wriggled out of his grip, still giggling. As she rushed to the door, she heard voices. A lot of chatter, then an authoritative voice speaking in Chinese, telling the chatterers to be quiet so they wouldn't make a bad impression. Sakura shrugged and opened the door a crack, sticking her head out. 

Standing on her front porch was a relatively tall woman and four other girls that looked about twenty years younger than her. She had raven black hair, and a stance that seemed to demand the utmost respect. The girls behind her all looked generally happy, with auburn colored hair and cheerful eyes. Sakura stared from face to face, here eyes finally coming to rest once again on the regal beauty of the older lady.

"H-hai?" she stuttered.

"Kinomoto?" the woman asked her.

"Yes," Sakura replied. "Can I help you?" she felt as though she were two feet tall standing in front of this woman.

"I certainly hope so."

Sakura stood there staring for a second. "Oh! Where are my manners? Please, come in." she opened the door fully, and a chilly breeze swept in with them. The girls smiled at her warmly.

Li got up off the couch to go investigate. He was just about to round the corner to the front door when he smelled it. A mixture of lavender and honeysuckle. To anyone else that would have been a calming scent, but not to Syaoran Li, who knew the scent of his mothers perfume a mile away. He turned and crept away as quickly and silently as possible. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mr. Kinomoto came out of the kitchen wearing an apron and he had tomato sauce smeared across his cheek.

"Sakura, who is it?" he asked her.

"I, um…who are you?" Sakura asked the lady sheepishly, annoyed with herself that she hadn't even stopped to ask their names before she invited them in.

She regarded Sakura thoughtfully. "I am Syaoran's mother. These are my daughters Saki, Lane, Mina and Kya. I have come to bring my son home."

Sakura's face went pale.

"I-I'll g-go get him." She lowered her head and stared at the floor as she walked away so that they couldn't see the tears that were beginning to form.

"I'm Sakura's father Aiden," he told Li's mother.

"Were we interrupting anything?" She asked him as he wiped his hands on his apron.

"Actually, I was just making dinner. Would you ladies like to have some?"

"No thank you. Once Syaoran comes to me we will be on our way."

"What? You're just going to take him and go, just like that? What about his feelings? What about my daughter?"

"Feelings or not, he has a responsibility to his family. He will return to Hong-Kong with us tonight."

"But that's not fair!"

"Are you implying that I don't know how to run my own family? I believe I have had more experience than you."

"That might be true, but you must take things into consideration. Please, come in and talk with me." 

Just then Sakura came back. "He's gone," she said simply, with a blank expression on her face, here eyes threatening to brim over with salty tears as her lip began to tremble slightly. All at once it seemed that Li's sisters couldn't hold back any longer. They all came towards Sakura and embraced her in a tight hug seeing that she was obviously upset. As if suffocating her would make her feel any better about it.

"We better go find him." Aiden said.

"No. He will come back. There is nowhere else for him to go. You said you wanted to talk?"

Kero hovered just outside the doorway listening.

"Yes. Why is it so necessary that he come back to Hong-Kong? I don't mean to offend you, but don't you think that he might have run away in the first place for a reason? Maybe he doesn't want to go back."

"I know he doesn't want to come back, but he is to be the leader of the Li clan. That is his destiny, and he cannot escape it. He has been promised to marry Li Melin Rae, and it would dishonor our family if he didn't fulfill that promise."

Suddenly Sakura totally let everything go.

"For your information, thanks to you and your family honor, he hates his cousin, and he probably hates you too! I'm sorry if you get offended and think I'm a nasty little bitch, but it's a fact! Now since I'm the only one who seems to care about him around here, I'm going to go find him!" tears of rage were trickling down her cheeks now. She ripped the Clow key from its golden chain around her neck and called out the wand as she ran into the street, as she hadn't had to do for years. She used the fly card and soared into the air, high above the ground and began searching for the one thing that meant so much to her. He vision was blurred from the tears that she would blink away, only to have them be replaced by more.

Back at the house, Kero flew around the corner into the living room where he was plainly seen by everyone. He began his guilt trip.

"Clow would be ashamed of you! How can you do this to your own son?!"

Jaws dropped all around the room.

"What's going on here?!" Aiden asked loudly.

"I'll tell you what's going on! You're trying to destroy the purest thing on earth to save your family's name! Sakura and Syaoran have something special, and you have no right to come in here and wreck it for them!" He pointed an accusing finger (paw?) at Li's mother.

"Who are you to speak to me like this?" She demanded from Kero.

"I am Keroberos, the guardian beast of the seal, and now if you'll excuse me, I'll go help my mistress find your kid!" he flew angrily out the open door and muttered, "Witch."

"WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON?!" A vein was sticking out of Aiden's neck.

~*~*~

Sakura wiped her tears on the sleeve of her school uniform as she flew in search of Li. How could this be happening? Kero flew up beside her panting.

"Sakura, slow down! I can't keep up!"

"I have to find him!"

"Slow_Down!"

"I see him!" she yelled, and pointed to the ground. Li was sitting on the bank of the pond at the park. She swooped down and landed behind him silently, with Kero arriving seconds later. She walked up behind Li with the wand in one hand.

"Li, why did you run?" she whispered.

"Because I'm not going back no matter what she does." He stared into the water.

"Why not?"

"Because I love you. I never want to leave you again."

She sat down beside him and put her head on his shoulder. "I know you're lying."

"How can you say that?! I love you more than anything-" she cut him off.

"How can I say that?! Do you think I've been ignoring you my whole life? I know how you work! If it were that simple you would have just stayed calm and talked it over! There's a problem much deeper here, and I'm not leaving you alone till I figure it out!"

"FINE!" he yelled. At the same time he yelled, a huge rock flew off of the shore and went skidding into the water with a giant splash. Sakura looked behind her in surprise.

"Kero, get lost. This involves me and Sakura," Li said in a forced voice.

"I can take a hint. I'll see you at home." Kero flew home in the dimming sunlight.

"What was that?!" Sakura asked as soon as Kero was out of earshot.

"_That_ is what happens when I get really angry. You've heard of telekinesis?"

"Yes."

"It's a curse. I hate it. A little while after I left to go home it started. Then I couldn't control it. Someone would give me a dirty look at school, and then all of a sudden they would be hit in the side of the head with anything that wasn't bolted down. Everyone started being afraid of me at my new school. I gave one kid a concussion."

"Is that what's wrong?"

"That's what started it. I had some friends, a guy named Kevin and a girl named Lila, but they were nothing like my friends here.

My mother always pressures me to be better than I already am, and without being stuck up I can honestly say that that is extremely difficult when you're me. She was always asking why I wasn't being nicer to Melin, since I was going to be spending the rest of my life with her and all. That gets pretty annoying after a while. This is hard for me to say. I guess it shouldn't be, but it still is. I… I got really depressed about a year after I came home. People would whisper behind my backs, and normally that wouldn't have upset me, but I was really stressed out from schoolwork and training and things, and it just started to eat away at me. I missed all of you here, you the most (Sakura blushed), and it wasn't helping that I couldn't make new friends. It was all because of this stupid power that I got." He skipped a stone across the water with his mind. 

"My mother wouldn't even let me call or send letters or anything. She said that I needed to move on, so I tried, but I couldn't. I would always check for mail from you guys, but then I finally remembered that I never told anyone my address, so there was no point. I know I didn't really let on too much, but you guys were the best friends I ever had."

"Have," She corrected him. "We're still your friends."

"My god, I missed you. I was thinking about coming back here, but I didn't know if anyone would care about me here anymore. That's when I heard you calling to me. I thought at first that it was just my imagination because of that Kris guy at the party, but eventually the feeling became so strong that I knew it was real, so I came."

Sakura hugged him tightly. 

"I'm so glad you did."

"But now she's going to drag me back. I don't want to go, but I have to."

"No you don't! You can do whatever you want to, and that includes undermining authority."

"Maybe so, but I can't help feeling…like I'm abandoning them."

"What about me? I know it sounds selfish, but how do you think I'd feel if you left me again? I…I don't know what I'd do."

"I don't see any other way. It's the end of the line for me, Sakura. I have to give up. There's no way I can win this one. I'm so sorry." Li brought his knees up to his chin.

"In that case," Sakura stood up and stared at the ground, "You're not the same person I knew. The Syaoran I knew never gave up, no matter what. I guess whatever happened to him in Hong-Kong must have been pretty bad, because it seems to have destroyed him."

"Sakura,I-"

"Forget it." She said, her voice hardened. "As soon as you come back to my house you'll be leaving me again, probably forever. I hope the new Li enjoys his life inbreeding with his cousin. This time I'm not going to wait for him to come back."

"SAKURA!"

"I love you! I love you more than anything, and now you're leaving me and you're breaking my heart!"

"Why can't you just understand?! If I choose to stay here, then I disown my entire family!"

"I can understand perfectly! You go home! I'll just live the rest of my life as a nun and pretend I don't miss you! See you later, _Li_."

Sakura got on her wand and flew into the air so quickly that Li could hardly hear her sobs. 

"Great." He muttered to himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Sakura got back to her house, Li's family was in the kitchen eating lasagna with her dad.

"Did you find him?" Kya, the youngest, asked her with a sympathetic expression on her face.

"I found a part of him. I think you should all leave now. He'll be coming back soon. I hope you're happy!" she yelled at his mother, then ran up the stairs to her room and slammed the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Li walked to the edge of the water and stared into the murky depths.

'So it happened after all,' he thought to himself as he pulled the giant boulder out of the lake and placed it back on the shore, not really caring if he was seen.

Why did everything bad happen to him? Did his mother enjoy making him miserable? Melin probably fit into this somehow. If not then how did his mother find out where he was? (He looked across the lake and snapped a limb off a tree with his mind)

Li decided to go back to Sakura's house. After all, there was nowhere else to go. As he walked, his thoughts troubled him.

'How do I fix this? Will I ever see her again…How can I be so stupid!? The only person I've ever loved, and I go and do this to her. Do I really love my family that much? I guess I do. Will they appreciate it if I give up my life's happiness for them? They better damn well appreciate it. It looks like I've already given it up. I can just hear Nikki now, "What an idiot! How could he leave Sakura like that?" and then Chelsea, "I hope he burns in hell!"

'But I'm only worried about Sakura. Maybe I can get out of this. Maybe I can make Melin see that I don't love her. At least I'd be out of that situation.'

He suddenly found himself standing in front of Sakura's house. Li took a deep breath and opened the door………..

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Settle down, killer! I think I'm going to post the next chapter soon just so I don't receive all your hate mail! I just have to write it first. Hey, I have a web site! I'll put its whereabouts in the next chapter. Review!!!!


	10. Sweet Sixteen ch.10

Chapter 10

I'm back already!(Wow, that was fast). I won't hold you in suspense any longer. Here it is!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Li let out his breath as he stepped inside. He could hear voices coming from the kitchen, and the scraping of utensils on plates. He peeked around the corner and looked in the room. His mother seemed to be explaining about Clow Cards. Li figured Kero had probably revealed himself at long last. Aiden was the only one facing his direction. When he saw Li peek around the corner, his eyes flashed, but he didn't say anything. He made some kind of motion to let Li know Sakura was up stairs. Li silently thanked him and crept upstairs without making a sound.

He hesitated outside her door. He pressed his ear to it and heard soft sobbing. It was clear that she was sitting there in total darkness, because no light was shining out from the crack under the door. He raised his hand to knock, but then brought it down again. This was the scariest thing he'd ever had to do. It was worse to him than fighting all the Clow cards at once could ever be. 

He looked down at his feet, ashamed to know that he could be such a coward. As he looked, he saw a glint out of the corner of his eye and bent down to investigate it. As he picked it up his hands began to shake slightly. He felt the cool metal blade in the palm of his hand and he began to feel dead inside. The chain, unbroken, fell between his fingers as he held it up and read, 'To the only one I love. I could never forget you.'

He put a hand out and leaned against her door to keep himself from falling. It wasn't the fact that he had spent a year's allowance on it. It was the knowledge that 

Sakura probably thought he didn't love her.

He tightened his grip on the necklace as he leaned his forehead against the door. "Sakura" he whispered in a shaky voice. A tear fell to the floor. A furry yellow beast hovered close by, amazed at what he was seeing. The Li kid, really, truly crying?

Kero-Chan perched on the railing at the top of the stairs. Did Li care that much for his mistress? If so, why was he handing his future over to Li Melin? He decided to put a stop to this. Kero flew over to Li and perched on his shoulder.

"Li? Why are you crying?" he asked.

"I'm not crying." Li wiped his face on the sleeve of his sweater.

Kero looked at him skeptically. "Would you like it if I used a different term? Why are you…leaking?"

"Oh just shut up. I am crying, I'll admit it. I'm crying because I'm losing the one thing in my life that I love more than anything."

"Maybe you should tell her that."

Li stood up straight again. After a moment, he began to walk to his room.

"What are you doing?" asked Kero, who had flown into the air again.

"I'm going to write a letter."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  


"And so Clow was a magician? And he made these cards that my daughter has had since she was eleven?! Wow, she sure kept that a secret." 

Kero flew into the kitchen where Aiden was listening with interest to the story Li's mom was telling him. He went directly for the cupboard containing the junk food, actually finding relief in the fact that he could move around normally again without worrying about people seeing him.

"Keroberos, I never imagined that you would be such a pig." She told him when he stuffed a bunch of potato chips in his mouth.

"And I never imagined you to be such a horrible old hag, but I don't say anything about that." He flew out of the room with his bag of dill pickle chips, not caring that he had just insulted a descendant of Clow so badly.

"You know," Aiden began, "I always wondered how she could eat so much junk food and stay skinny. I guess I just found out how."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Li sat at his/Tory's desk with the paper in front of him, his pen poised to begin writing…but what would he say? 'Dear Sakura, sorry I have to leave, but that's the way it is, doll. P.S. I might come back for you. Wait for me another ten years.'

No, that wouldn't be too stupid, he thought sarcastically. He groaned and banged his head on the desk, resting it there for a second after.

It all started to form in his mind suddenly, and he began………

"Dear Ying-Fa,…………"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Too short, I know, but it seemed like a good place to stop. Please withhold your hate mail. I'm already writing the next chapter. The next chapter of Near and Far is going to be posted soon too, just to let you know if you read it, and if you don't read it, go read it now!

More A/N: Hey, is anybody reading this? I haven't gotten ANY reviews for chapter nine yet! Come on people, I wasn't gone that long!


	11. Melin Speaks

Chapter 11: Melin Speaks

Anyone watch survivor last week? Man that was pretty disappointing. I thought someone was going to get eaten by a crocodile. I was hoping Gerri, 'cuz man she's annoying, but -Okay! I'll start the fic! Just trying to make conversation! 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura woke up the next morning to the sound of autumn rain pounding on the roof. Just the weather to match her mood. 

She groaned, disappointed that she had actually woke up, after all, what was the point? No reason to live. Her stomach growled, and she figured she'd better feed it, so she went down stairs to find some ice cream. Li was gone. Sunshine was gone. Had it ever been this dark before he came? She searched around and came up with some chocolate syrup, and poured a puddle of it into the bucket of ice cream, getting a spoon and going back to her room to sulk some more. She was angry with herself for acting so immature, so stupid and insensitive. but she also felt she had some sort of right to. It isn't every day you have your heart ripped out, after all. She didn't know how to describe the way she was feeling. Sad? Depressed? Angry? Lonely? Empty. Yes, that was it. Absolutely empty. And all the others. It wasn't even very much of a goodbye. She'd definitely been letting the 'Anger' part show. She didn't even get to kiss him one last time before he left. The tears started again, but this time they came silently.

Kero flew in to her room then, and dropped something in front of her on the bed. Nobody had bothered her all night, and for that she was grateful, but she needed to talk to somebody now. 

"What?"

"It's a letter. From Li," Kero said gently. "He asked me not to give it to you till morning. S-so it wouldn't make things harder…to…-"

"Thank you Kero."

"I'll leave you alone." He flew out of the room again, pulling the door shut behind him with difficulty.

Sakura put her tub of ice cream to the side and picked up the letter, not really sure if she wanted to know what it said. She broke the seal that held it closed, unfolded it and began to read.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thunder boomed close by. Li felt trapped by the interior of the limo. Why couldn't he just knock on her door? It would have been just that easy… He had guessed right. He regretted not saying goodbye to her face, felt like a complete coward, and Melin was there the whole time. Strangely, she wasn't smothering him to death. She actually looked worried about something. Her clothes were now what a normal female human would wear, not showing a trace of sluttishness. He looked over at her, looking out the window. She bit her lower lip.

"What's wrong?"

"Li, I've been thinking-"

"That's one I haven't heard."

"AS I was saying," she said in an annoyed tone, "You really aren't happy with me, are you?"

"Why would be happy with you? For one thing, you're my cousin. For another thing, you dress like a whore."

"I only did that because…I thought…you'd like…me."

"Sorry to disappoint you."

Melin Rae looked at her cousin, who had now turned to look out the black-tinted window. His hair was a mess. He had dark circles under his amber colored eyes, and he looked like death warmed over. He looked hopelessly defeated, and the light was gone from his eyes.

"Li, I've been dreaming about this day since I was little, and-"

"I don't want to hear it."

"Just hear me out! I have a point!"

"If you say so."

"I've been dreaming about this since we were little. It's been an obsession. I always pictured us as that happy couple. Except we're not happy. Everything is ready for us to be married when we get home. Arrangements have been made, and guests have been invited, but we're going to disappoint them. We won't be happy at all. Ever. The part of me that loves you isn't the obsessed part. I've just realized…the part of me that loves you is the part of me that is already to you linked in blood. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Sorry, but I've been up all night. I don't really feel like understanding today." He glared out the window and made a road sign snap off its post.

"What I'm saying Li, is that I know now that I've never _really _loved you as more than family, and a friend."

"Time in jail really changes you, huh? What happened in there? You learn the hard way not to drop the soap in the shower?" he was in no mood to be kind. 

(The limo pulled up to the doors of the airport and they got out.) They ran inside to get out of the rain and Melin began to speak again.

"Look, it isn't that, okay! I have to tell you…I've met someone. We just met two weeks ago, but it feels right. I know he has feelings for me too. Once I finally let myself like someone else, I realized that I don't want to spend the rest of my life with you, no offence. We're both trying to get back on the right track, and we're helping each other, him with my obsession, and me with his…problems."

"So, what is this point you claim to have?" Li was using his famous death glare again.

"Li, the point is, I don't want us to get married. I'm in love with someone else"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_"Dear Ying-fa;_

_That's you, in Chinese. It's what I've called you for the last 5 years when writing your name beside mine all over my homework._

_I'm so sorry, Sakura. I hope one day you can understand. I love you, but I have to be with my family. They say they need me, so I'm going home, but it isn't an easy choice for me to make. If I could be with you and not hurt them, I would stay forever. You know I would. I feel dead inside, like I don't want to keep living, but I will, for them. This is a thousand times worse than last time I had to leave. Now that we know our feelings for each other, it's the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I told Kero not to give this to you till morning. I'll probably feel different by morning and regret it. I'll miss you so much. Can you believe it? I'm crying. That's why the page is all crinkled and the ink is running. I would never tell anyone else that but you, my soul mate, except that Kero caught me in the hall. When I'm with you, life is complete. You bring light to so many people's lives, it's amazing. That's why everyone loves you so much. I love you too. I hope you can forgive me some day. This time I'm not going to be selfish and ask you to wait for me, because I don't know if I'll ever be back. You'll find another guy that will treat you like a princess, which is exactly what you deserve. I wish I could still be him. You know I'm not that poetic, but this is from the bottom of my heart. I'll never forget you, Ying-Fa. You are the only one I love, and that won't change. My mother is letting me stay the night to pack, but I'll be gone by the time you read this. Our plane takes off around eight thirty. Can you remind Zachary about the big geography exam next Friday? I guess it's weird to mention him in a love letter, but I really do love him as my brother from another mother, and you can tell him that if you want, even though he'll probably laugh, like always. Say goodbye to everyone for me and move on soon. I want you to be happy, even if it's not with me._

# Love Forever

_Syaoran _

_P.S. Keep the necklace. It was made for you and no one else._

_Love always, Syaoran_

_ _

_ _

_P.P.S. I made you a card. It's on my desk. Use it however you want, but remember, it can only be used once. _

_Missing you already, Syaoran_

_ _

Sakura finished reading and let out her breath. She lay back onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. Outside the door, unknown to Sakura, Li was just raising his hand to knock on her door, but decided he couldn't bring himself to do it, even though that's why he had come back for a moment, and left again.

Why did life have to be so unfair? Just yesterday, everything was fine. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She looked very disheveled. She sighed and rolled out of bed, putting her slippers on to go look in Li's room. Her father was at work. She was grateful that he'd left her alone. She really didn't want to talk to him about this. She considered calling Madison, but decided that she wanted to be alone for a while longer.

Sakura opened the door to his room. The storm was still raging outside. The lamp on the desk was still on, and it was shining onto a green card, and the necklace that he had said he wanted her to keep. She picked the necklace up off of the desk and slipped it in to the pocket of her pajamas, not feeling like wearing it just yet. She looked down at the card. The Vision.

She wondered what it did. On it, there was a picture of a woman with a beautiful silky-looking dress, with hair that came out from behind her head in short spiky parts, and her eyes were open. He said she could only use it once. Should she wait? No, she couldn't. Impulsively, she took the necklace out of her pocket again, not really knowing why. The ruby seemed to glow in the dim light. Suddenly a voice came in to her head. 'Touch it to the card.'

Sakura wondered briefly if she was going mental, but decided she had nothing to loose, and touched what would be the blade to the card.

Some kind of misty haze began to surround her hand, and the card gave off a yellow glow. The lightning outside illuminated the entire room, and a figure began to emerge from the card. When it fully transformed, The Vision stood in front of her with a sympathetic expression in its blue, pupil-less eyes. The card had stopped glowing, and dropped back on to the desk.

"What do you do?" she asked it.

The Vision cocked its head to one side and surveyed her appearance.

"Right. I just remembered. You can't speak."

The Vision nodded sadly.

"Please, tell me somehow." Sakura asked it, with a tear coming down her cheek again.

The Vision stepped towards her and _hugged_ her. Sakura was amazed at what was happening, and what's more, The Vision was _warm_. It smelled of flowers in spring, and it gave off a white light that suggested it was to resemble all that is gentile and kind. Sakura hugged it back. When it released her, it took a step backwards and looked in to her eyes. Sakura found herself wondering what this had to do with Vision at all. 

It looked at the necklace, which she still held in her hand, curiously. It suddenly began to glow, and rise up into the air. The clasp was unfastened in mid-air, and it went around Sakura's neck, closing at the back. It then stopped glowing.

The Vision blinked its long lashed eyes at her.

Sakura touched the necklace, and spoke to The Vision.

"You're right. He would want me to wear it."

The Vision smiled at her knowingly. It began to trace an outline in the air, and where it traced, there appeared a blue glimmering line. When she had traced the full outline of a square, an image flickered into it. It was a much younger version Sakura, at the airport, last time Li left.

"Why would he want me to see this?" she asked it.

It held up a finger as it to tell her to be patient, and held the square with the other hand. Another image flickered on to the screen. It was Li, also a younger version. He was walking into what she guessed must be his house in Hong-Kong, looking sad. Melin was attached to his arm like she would die if she let go. What followed was about ten minutes of some kind of silent movie, in which Sakura saw everything that Li had been trying to explain to her.

She saw him walking to his new school with that legendary glare on his face as some kid looked at him weird, then got slammed in the side of the head with a plastic swing set, and the confused look on Li's face after it happened. She saw him checking the mail, getting a disappointed look every time there was nothing there, and two people who she assumed must be Lila and Kevin. There was also one of him, probably when he was fourteen, with his dark black hair and a frustrated look on his face as he explained to his mother the piercing on his left eyebrow. She saw his sisters all laughing with him and smothering him in hugs and kisses at his grade eight graduation. Then began the more recent events. She saw him using the Conceal card to become invisible and sneak on to an airplane, the scene at the party where Kris had separated them, and that he did when he found the necklace on the floor outside her room. 

The Vision re-traced the square, and it disappeared. Surprisingly, Sakura wasn't crying.

It held up its hand for her to wait again, and this time traced a circle in the air. An image appeared after a second, and it was Li, as he had been the night before. He was sitting it that very room, and this time, there was sound.

"Sakura, I don't know what The Vision will show you, but I trust it to show you the things it thinks are most important for you to see. This spirit is a kind of guardian. It's been with me since I was younger, and it knows all my deepest secrets. Hopefully it will help you to understand what I was talking about. I made it when I was thinking about you. That's why it resembles you, warmth, caring, light, beauty, and friendship. After you see this, you won't be able to use it again. That's just the way this card works."

In the background, thunder rumbled in the distance, and she could see a tiny bolt of fork lightning out the window.

"It looks like there's going to be a storm."

The door opened behind him and one of Li's sisters came in to the room.

"Li, come on. What are you doing in there? We have to get going or we'll miss the plane."

"Okay, I just need another minute!"

She closed the door and left him.

"Sorry." He rubbed his eyes. "I guess I'll be leaving in a minute. I've been up all night writing you that letter and making this card so you can use it. Everything I've said, I mean. I'll always love you, and it makes me ashamed to think you're only in the next room, but I'm too much of a coward to wake you up and say goodbye. Goodbye Sakura. I'll see you in my dreams."

She saw him wipe his face with his sleeve, and then he was gone. The Vision looked like it was about to cry. It came to her and hugged her again. Sakura understood. The Vision stepped back again and fiddled with her sleeve.

"Thank you," Sakura told it. It bowed to her. "I guess…you can go now."

The Vision showed her one last, smiling image of Li the morning after he came back to her, before returning its card on the desk. When it was completely returned, the eyes of the picture were closed. There would be no more visions.

Sakura walked out of the room dazedly with the Li card in her hand. She found herself standing downstairs beside the telephone. She picked up the receiver and punched in the digits. The phone rang five times before there was an answer.

"Hello?" Madison croaked.

"Madison? Did I wake you up?" she asked absently.

"Oh no, not at all. I always get up early on weekends." She said sarcastically. "What do you want?"

"Can you come over? Really fast?"

Madison suddenly sounded more awake. "Why, what's wrong?"

"I need a ride to the airport. Li's leaving again." Her voice ended up in the air.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"WHAT?!" Li screamed. Every person waiting to board the airplane in the waiting section turned to stare at him.

"I'm in love with someone! There, I said it! I knew you'd be mad! We still have to get married, and we both know we don't love each other!"

A grin spread over Li's face. "This is fantastic! We don't have to get married now! It's a mutual agreement! You've released me from my promise! There's no way they'll make us now! It would be too stupid!"

"Aren't you worried about your mother though?"

"Melin, this is true love. Of course I care about my family, but if it means losing the one you love more than anything, don't you think that that is more important right now than making my mother happy?"

Melin looked into his eyes, which now had their life back.

"I…I guess so. What do we do? The plane will be ready to board any minute!"

"I don't know, but we better think of something, _fast_."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sakura, what's going on?! Why is he leaving?! Why didn't you tell me sooner!?"

"I'm sorry, but I'll explain later! Can we just go?!"

"Okay, come on, I got the driver to leave the car running. We can just jump in and go."

Sakura had gotten dressed so quickly that she hadn't even brushed her hair, and apparently Madison had done the same. As soon as she heard what was going on she had jumped out of bed to come and help her friend.

"Dudley, to the airport! Step on it!" Madison yelled to the driver as they jumped, already soaking wet, into the car. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: HAHAHA! I'm just evil, cutting it off like that. Don't worry, I'll write more VERY soon. Thank you all for the feedback, and Ashley-Chan, I have to say that's the most burn-like review I've ever gotten^_^ Hopefully the quality is on the rise? Happiness is bound to return _SOONER_ or later. If you guys have any suggestions, tell me! Check out my website: [http://thespatulatree.homestead.com/spatulatree.html][1]

And send me something if you have anything! I don't have much yet, but I only started about a week ago. Wow, I can't believe that that was only 6 pages. 

   [1]: http://thespatulatree.homestead.com/spatulatree.html



	12. The Much Anticipated Ending!

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Here it is! So you can all stop with the death threats! HA!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Li grabbed Melin's hand and began to run, dragging her behind him.

"Syaoran! Come back here!"

He could hear his mother yelling for him.

"Li, slow down!" Melin yelled.

"Why don't you just hurry up?"

She didn't answer him, but picked up the pace as they ran through the crowded airport.

When they finally emerged at the entrance in the pouring rain, Li skidded to a halt.

He looked both ways.

"Now what? What's your plan?!"

Li spotted someone finally. 

"Hey!" he went running towards a man and woman pulling suitcases out of their forest green colored Mazda.

"What do you want kid?" the guy squinted at him through the heavy rain.

"We need to use your car, it's an emergency!"

"Oh no, no way!"

"Please!? It's a matter of life and death!"

"I seriously doubt that!"

A bolt of lightning flashed, followed by a ferocious crack of thunder, causing Melin to let out a yelp and jump.

"Look, would I be begging you if it weren't?" he grabbed the man's arm.

"Get lost kid. We're going to be late for our plane."

"Fine. Give me the keys."

"What?" the man looked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Give me the keys. I'll bring it back, I promise!"

"George, maybe we should-"the woman commented for once.

"No Louise, I'm not giving my car up for some delinquent!"

"PLEASE SIR! It's very important!" Melin was almost in tears.

"George!" the woman yelled at her husband. "If they don't bring it back we can report it stolen! Just them have the keys!"

"But I-" she gave him the look. "Fine! But if you don't bring it back, just remember I'll find you wherever you are!" Li had jumped into the car, dragging Melin with him before he even finished yelling. He jammed the key into the ignition and floored the gas pedal.

"Li?" Melin said after a minute of driving.

"Yes?"

"Can you drop me off? It's on the way."

"MELIN!"

"PLEASE?! You're not the only person who matters around here you know!"

"Oh you sure are one to talk!" He looked over at his cousin, who looked back with tears forming in her eyes. He started to feel guilty.

"Fine. Where is it?"

"125 West street." She sneezed.

When he located 125 West Street, Li felt his jaw drop involuntarily. 

"Him? You're in love with HIM?!"

"Just stop the car." 

He did as she said, and Melin got out again into the freezing cold autumn rain.

"Go get Sakura back! Good luck!" she yelled, and waved as she ran towards the house.

Li shook his head and put the car into gear, then drove at an inhuman speed towards the most important person in his life.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sakura, how do you even know he isn't gone yet? It's already past eight thirty," Madison said in a soft voice.

"He can't be gone. Besides, those flights are almost never on time anyways," she looked anxiously out the window, "Besides, they'd never get off the ground in this storm."

"I just don't think you should get your hopes up. Li loves you, and any idiot would see that, but he also loves his family, which also any idiot could see, or else he wouldn't choose them over you."

"What are you trying to say Madison?"

"I'm saying that it's not fair to him that he's being made to choose between you and the five women he's grown up with, loved, and been raised by his whole life."

"Are you trying to say that it's my fault? I'm not going there to try and take him away from them. I'm going because I love him and I want to say goodbye one last time before he walks out of my life forever."

"Oh Sakura-Chan," Madison sighed, "I'm not saying it's you're fault. I just don't want you to be disappointed. You're my best friend and I hate to see you upset."

"Thanks Madison," she hugged her friend tightly, "But he hasn't left yet."

Madison sighed. "Sakura, you're too hopeful."

"I know Madison, but if I don't have hope, what do I have?" 

"Hmmmm."

The ride was silent for a minute, then Madison suddenly exploded, "Dudley, can't this thing go any faster?!"

"I apologize, Miss Daidoji, but this is a stretch limousine on a rain-slicked highway.If I go any faster we may end up in an accident."

"Oh can it Duddles! Do you realize that this is Kinomoto Sakura, the daughter of my mother's best friend, and my best friend? If she's not happy, neither of us are happy, and for you, that means a pay cut, so floor it!"

When they pulled up at the entrance of the airport five minutes later, they ran inside (getting re-soaked along the way) in search of the Li clan, or any trace of them.

A check of the video screens that list arrival and departure times showed that flight 927 to Hong Kong was indeed delayed, but it would only be that way for three more minutes.

"Madison, I have to find him!" Sakura yelled.

"Relax Sakura! We can do this!"

"I can't feel him! When he's near I can feel his aura, but I can't feel it!"

"It'll be okay! Look, we still have plenty of time, just get a hold of yourself! We know where he should be, so let's go!"

"O…Okay!" they took off running in the direction a sign sating 'Terminal three' in huge green letters pointed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I'm sorry miss, but I can't let you past this point."

"You have got to be joking!" Sakura yelled at the plump flight attendant at the entrance gate.

"No, this is no joke, now please step out of the way ladies. The plane is finished boarding"

"But you don't understand! I have to talk to someone, it's very important!"

"I'm sure it is, but that's why Bell invented the telephone, so don't make me call security!"

"Please!" Sakura pleaded one last time, her voice cracking.

"I'm sorry. Please step away from the boarding area." The woman clipped an ugly velvet barrier in place.

Sakura still stood there in disbelief.

"Sakura. It's too late. You have to give up. Come on." Madison took hold of her friend's arm and led her away slowly. She looked back once at the flight attendant, and someone listening very closely would have heard Madison telling the woman she'd be going to hell for what she just did.

"The last time I talked to him I was yelling."

The tears were starting to well up.

"I didn't even get to kiss him goodbye!"

"It's okay Sakura, it'll be alright." Madison put an arm around her childhood friend.

"You'd better sit down. You're shaking."

She led Sakura to a row of chairs and sat down with her. The only other people there were an old man, muttering dejectedly to his wife, and a janitor mopping up all the rainwater and mud people had tracked in.

"Madison, I'm so stupid!" she put her head in her hands.

"Sakura, you're not stupid, you're in love."

"Yes I am I'm the most stupid twit in Japan! I couldn't look past my feelings and listen to what he was saying and now it's too late! I never should have been mad at him because it wasn't his fault. Oh Madison I want to die." She ended in a whisper.

"NANI?!" Madison screamed, and then more quietly, "Sakura don't say that!"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Li jogged up the front steps to Sakura's house and rang the doorbell, relieved that there was no possibility that Tory would answer the door.

After Li was left standing in the rain for a minute without anyone opening the door a little black eye peaked through the curtain, just barely visible. The door creaked open.

"Get to the airport brat! Sakura went after you! What are you doing here?!" Kero screamed.

"She went after me?! Oh no." slowly a grin spread across his face and he began to laugh.

"You know I really don't see what's so funny about this." Kero raised an eyebrow.

(Does he even have eyebrows??)

Li snatched the little critter out of the air.

"Come with me." 

He didn't even give Kero a chance to protest before he was in the car again driving away.

~*~*~*~*~

"Sakura we should leave. There's no point in staying any longer."

"I know," her voice was weak, "I just don't feel like moving. Ever again. You can leave if you want. I'll call a cab." She stared blankly out the window.

"What kind of friend would I be if I did that? I'm staying with you, but we should really be leaving soon."

"Thanks Madison," She whispered.

~*~*~*~

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!?!!" Kero screamed for the fifteenth time, as Li pulled up to the curb at the airport, or, more or less, onto it. He pulled off before the owner turned around to see it.

"Getting back to Sakura as fast as I can."

He jumped out and tossed the keys to the guy.

"THANKS!!!!" He yelled, before running into the airport.

"See? I told you it would be ok." The man's wife boasted.

"Yeah sure, we let some boy we don't know take our car for a life or death situation, and he comes back with a stuffed animal."

Li ran as fast as he could, but didn't seem to be getting anywhere.

"GOD I hate airports...."

He pulled one of his newly made Li cards out of his pocket.

"Take me near her, but out of sight, Transport card!"

He was enveloped into a green ribbon like magic before he could think to make sure no one was looking. Honestly, he didn't care.

He appeared near the front desk to his furtherly-delayed flight, and caught a glimpse of Sakura's back, shaking from her sobs. His heart was torn in two at the sight, and he knew what he had to do.

"What the heck was that?" Kero whispered, slowly catching on to Li's idea.

"One of my new cards. Now quiet, I'm busy."

He got behind the stewardess, and held her neck, whispering into her ear. A second later he ran into the plane.

The stewardess ran up to Sakura.

"I believe there has been a...mistake. You can go into the plane, but you have to go before it takes off."

Sakura eyes widened, and she jumped up and hugged the stewardess.

"THANKYOU!" She screamed, and ran into the connecting tunnel, not even slowing down for Tomoyo.

She ran straight into first class, and skidded to a stop in front of Li's mother, who looked at her as if she was a disease.

"Where's Syaoran?!?!" Sakura asked franticly.

"That's Li to you, and I'm not sure...."

Sakura's mouth hung open, as her last bit of hope floated away, and she dropped to the floor, tears streaming down her face.

Where is he, then?

She brought her knees to her face, and sobbed, which if you think about it is a very uncomfortable position on an airplane.

She vaguely heard Tomoyo screaming desperately to Li-san.

She barely heard everyone else on the plane screaming things like '_What's going on'_, and, '_Who is that poor girl_', and, '_Who was that crazy boy_', but she could even process the meaning of that into her brain.

All she could hear now was her mind, screaming out, '_Syaoran, come back...please… come back.._.'

Even her thoughts were crying, and she felt like her entire being would die._Why...Why didn't I listen? Why did I let him go? WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!_

**_"Attention Passengers,"_**

She heard a familiar voice, and though all the others had been blocked from her mind, she couldn't hold this one back...

**_"The Plane has again been delayed,"_**

Her mind screamed to not be ignored

_I know that voice..._

**_"Due to,"_**

_It couldn't be.... could it?_

**_"Love."_**

_IT IS!_

She looked up, and there in the aisle, with kero hovering proudly over his left shoulder, stood Li Syaoran, holding the intercom stretched from the control desk. He smiled warmly at Sakura. 

Her eyes widened. Her body took control, and she jumped up, running as fast as she could to him. She jumped into his arms, knocking him down, and kissed him more passionately than she ever thought possible. Kero looked over at Tomoyo and made a gagging face right into her camera, which was professionally aimed at Sakura and Syaoran, making out in the middle of the isle.

Sakura pulled away, breathing hard.

"Don't EVER leave me again."

"I _promise_, there is NO way anyone can take me away."

Sakura looked at him, fear still in her eyes. Syaoran smiled, knowing that she was thinking of his past promise.

"They'd have to kill me first, my love." He whispered into her ear.

Sakura's eyes fluttered close at his breath on her face. She fell back into him, melting into his embrace. 

Li-san finally rose from her seat after struggling with her seatbelt furiously, and her gaze softened. 

"My son and niece have finally found their true places."

"Nani?!" All four of Li's sisters screamed. 

"I thought-" his oldest sister began, but never finished because her jaw was hanging open too far.

Li and Sakura finally finished and turned to listen to the stately beauty that was his mother.

"Syaoran this was your final test as well as Melins. Any fool could see that you don't love her. We had to find a way to make her see that so she could get on with her own life. She wouldn't hear of it, so that's why we sent her after you. So she could learn herself."

"And what was my test? To see how much of her I could take before I went insane?!"

"No. The Li clan elders have conflicts of opinion. Some think you should still be married, and others…" she trailed off.

"Well? What is it?"

"We came to an agreement barely a year ago. If you could find the one you would do anything for, cherish, and love more than anything in this world or the next, more than honor, more than blood (Li cringed at the memory that he'd just pretty much disowned his entire family), you are no longer honor-bound to marry Melin."

"But, after all that you put me through…choosing between…and then…" He trailed off.

"I feel awful for all that you've been put through, but the elders felt that if you succeeded it would make you a stronger leader. I never had any doubt of what your final choice would be, and the two of you have my blessing." 

Sakura gasped as she bowed to them.

"So…I don't…have to go?" He finally got all the words out.

"No. Stay as long as you wish." She beamed at the two of them.

Li and Sakura looked at each other.Sakura smiled encouragingly, and Li hugged his family goodbye before sweeping her off the ground and carrying her off the plane to the applause of the all the passengers in first class, who up till then had been silent and hanging on every word, and the happy cries of his sisters, and a man yelling from second class asking 'what the hell was the big hold up?!'

But neither Sakura nor Syaoran noticed. 

Neither cared.

They were with each other again, now and forever.

And that was all that mattered.

~*Author's Note*~

Finally! Ok, I know I said it was coming out about three weeks ago, but I couldn't get the ending right. I still can't get it right so I'm posting this as the ending, and I'll write the epilogue later (Is that even what it's called? Oh well.) It's already half finished. Now I'd like to apologize because half way through this story I started calling Tomoyo Madison without even realizing it (silly me ^_^) Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and those who beg me constantly to continue. You guys rock!

In other news, Near and/or Far is coming to a close soon. I've pretty much given up on International Survivor. I think I've just lost interest, but I may start writing more again if anyone reviews it and asks me. And NOW for a big announcement;

_Zachary and the Book of Rhan _is my new fic that I'll be paying the most attention to now. It'll probably end up as long as this one, or longer. For those of you who haven't already read my first chapter, Zachary finds a new book of cards that are a lot more unusual than the Clow cards. A new guardian beast comes into the story (Don't worry, he doesn't replace Kero) as well as a new Second who helps Zachary like Li helps Sakura (coming in the next chapter) Hopefully it's as successful as this fic was^_~

If you have anime or Harry Potter fan fiction or art, or original poetry and stories, I'd love to post it on my site, which is also a major project at the moment.

[http://thespatulatree.homestead.com/spatulatree.html][1]

Check ya later!

~Lila

aka: The Author formerly known as Annie

   [1]: http://thespatulatree.homestead.com/spatulatree.html



	13. Eplogue

Prologue  
  
  
  
"Oh Sakura you look absolutely gorgeous!" Madison gushed as she poofed out her friend's veil. "Aren't you glad you let me make your dress? It turned out so great!"  
  
Sakura was on the verge of a sweat drop, but smiled anyways. After all, it was supposed to be her perfect day, and nothing was going to stop that, not even a picky best friend/bridesmaid who had to make her look absolutely perfect. "Erm, sure. It's great Madison."  
  
"Haaah, I look even more like a child's plaything today then ever." Kero sweat dropped and flopped over the handle of the flower girl's (Tory's daughter's) flower basket. Madison insisted on dressing him up in a little suit, with a bowtie and everything.  
  
"Oh Kero, it's not that bad. It's only for a few hours." Madison frowned.  
  
"Easy for you to say. You're not dressed up in a monkey suit like this."  
  
Madison looked at her own outfit. Going against all the wedding traditions, it was by no means what a bridesmaid dress usually is (ugly, tacky, and poofy). They actually teetered on the edge of sexy. She had designed them herself, one each for her, Nikki, Chelsea, Melin, and Rita. They were shimmery, forest green (to set off Sakura's complexion) strapless numbers with slits up to the knee on both sides, and each girl wore a long silk scarf of the same colour around their neck, which nearly touched the floor, except for Madison, who had the same kind of fabric pinned to her shoulders and draping down her back (has anyone seen 'Anastasia'? Like that.). Sakura's niece Suki's dress was a lot more innocent. With all of the white ruffles, frills and ribbons she looked like a porcelain doll! The older girls all had bouquets of daisies, miniature yellow-pink roses and Baby's Breath. Madison secretly congratulated herself on a job well done.  
  
"How much longer?" Sakura pleaded impatiently while someone put the final touches on her make-up. "If I don't do this thing soon I might just chicken out all together!"  
  
"Not much. Just relax and forget about being nervous." Madison told her, then ushered the make-up lady out of the room to give her friend a private, pre-wedding prep talk, but before she could get a word in, there was a knock at the door and Aiden came in.  
  
"Madison, could we have a moment?"  
  
"Sure." She smiled, "Make sure you don't let her escape on me." She teased, and closed the door behind her.  
  
"Who would have thought, my little girl, all grown up and getting married. Nothing's going to be the same again. I'm about to give you away to the only man I'd ever want to."  
  
Sakura smiled sweetly. "I love you dad."  
  
They hugged each other for a long moment, but that was broken by yet another knock on the door.  
  
"What is it?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Show's on. Are you ready?" Zachary (The best man) stuck his head in the door and looked quite dumbfounded. "Sakura, you look spectacular!"  
  
Sakura giggled. "Thank you, but you on the other hand, are not supposed to see me until I come out."  
  
"I thought that only applied to the groom?" he scratched his head.  
  
"It applied to everyone except Madison and my dad, so get going you." She pushed the door shut, and from the other side was a muffled "He, take it easy girlfriend!" Sakura giggled at Zachary again and finished with a sigh.  
  
"You kids." Aiden smiled.  
  
"But we aren't kids anymore dad." Sakura informed him.  
  
"You are so. You'll always be my little girl, no matter how old you are, and that Zachary probably won't mature past the age of twelve for a long time yet. Now am I mistaken, or do you have a wedding to go to?"  
  
Sakura took a deep breath and then let it out. "I don't know if I can do this."  
  
"Of course you can. Syaoran has been with you every day for the past two years. It's nothing to be afraid of."  
  
"But I feel so nervous all the same."  
  
"Don't you worry. It'll pass."  
  
Aiden had to admit he was a bit nervous himself at first. Today he would give away his only daughter, his eighteen-year-old daughter. He still couldn't believe he agreed, but not wanting to be a hypocrite he gave it. He linked arms with her and looked into her eyes.  
  
"Come on. That's my brave girl."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Up by the altar, Li was fidgeting nervously. He could see Tory glaring at him from the pew where he sat with his wife Dana. He felt a tugging urge to glare back, but decided against it. He didn't want Sakura's family to think he was a jerk. Most of the faces were unfamiliar to him. And who the heck was that guy with the blue hair? Probably one of Sakura's cousins. Li's friend Lila from Hong-Kong was sitting near the front and waved at him encouragingly. Li's sisters and mother were all sitting in the front row, cooing about how cute he looked in his tuxedo. Li straightened up as organ music began, and he realized how nervous he could actually get. Zachary walked up the isle and took his place beside Li. "Hey, you okay?" he whispered behind his hand.  
  
"I hope so."  
  
The ushers and bride's maids followed Zachary in, linked arm in arm, Rita with Mr. Terada, Nikki with Kevin, Chelsea with Julian, and Melin with Chris, whom they'd actually become friends with over the past two years. All of them parted and went to their respective sides, and then Suki came in like a little fairy with her basket of Sakura petals. She would take one out, bend down, and place it on the floor, walk three steps, and repeat. She did this all the way up the isle, making everyone feel more at ease. Li actually had to smother a laugh. Madison followed Suki in, beaming with delight about the whole situation. When Madison finally took her place, the wedding march began and everyone in the place jumped to their feet. Sakura and her father came in and she took everyone's breath away. She looked just like a princess! Her gown was long, white, silky, lacy, and flowing, with a train of about five feet. The top of it was a mix between peasant and princess style, with a laced front, and long sleeves that ended in a point right below her middle fingers, and a little poof at the shoulder. It had a low back, and sheer fabric pinned at her shoulder blades draping down the back like Madison's.  
  
Li stood watching in awe. By the end of the day he would be the husband of this.goddess! He could hardly believe it.  
  
Sakura was blushing, and it was very plain to see she was nervous. Finally she was beside him, and he grinned nervously when she looked at him, making her break into a huge smile.  
  
"Ahem," the priest cleared his throat to get their attention. "We are gathered here today," he began the usual wedding schpeal, and Suki provided amusement for the guests half way through when she fell asleep on the steps leading up to the altar. Then finally, it came. "Speak now or forever hold your peace. Nobody? Than by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."  
  
Madison whipped out the forbidden tiny video camera she had been hiding in her flower arrangement the whole time to capture the super kawaii scene as Mr. And Mrs. Li Syaoran shared their first kiss as a married couple before Zachary noticed and stuck his hand in front of the lense.  
  
~*~  
  
The reception afterwards was a huge affair, with probably half the graduating class of their high school there as well as Sakura and Li's favourite teachers, and a huge amount of family and family friends. It went on until 1:00 am when the new couple left in the limo for their 3:00 am flight to Hawaii. When they finally arrived at the hotel Sakura dropped her luggage and flopped down onto the bed.  
  
"Wow. I can't believe that all just happened."  
  
Li flopped down beside her. "I know."  
  
"And to think that two years ago I thought I'd never see you again."  
  
"Imagine."  
  
Sakura looked at him and he smiled, and she punched him playfully in the arm.  
  
"And now we're in Hawaii on our honeymoon, and we're only eighteen."  
  
"That kind of surprises me too." He propped himself up on one arm as he talked. "What do you want to do first? We could go snorkelling or have a picnic or-"  
  
Sakura silenced him by putting a finger to his lips. "Or," she whispered, "we could stay right here." She looked up at him alluringly.  
  
Li totally got the message. She'd be getting more lays this trip than the ones around her neck, and now it was time to make that clear. "I can deal with that." He whispered back. Sakura sat up and began to light the multitude of candles that were already placed around the suite when they arrived, and Li went to the window and shut the drapes, leaving the tiny flickering flames as the only source of light, and they met in the middle of the room. He pulled her close to him. "Now, where were we?"  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
THE END  
  
(or is it?)  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: finally done! How was that for an epilogue? Everyone satisfied? Anybody not? Questions/Comments/Flames/Gushingtalesabouthowmuchyoulovethisstory? ~*Lila's eyes shine hopefully*~ Please Review (  
  
  
  
Here's a little progress report for anybody who cares for it:  
  
International Survivor: I will resume writing it today. Hopefully it will be posted by  
  
tonight or tomorrow.  
  
Zachary and the Book of Rhan: (I known it's a corny title but I don't see you coming up  
  
with anything better :p) I have no ideas for this lately so  
  
as always, suggestions are welcome.  
  
The Order: My first true Harry Potter fic. I'm trying to stay true to J.K Rowling's style of  
  
writing, so if you're into it Harry Potter, I hope you'll check it out! It's the next book (according to me) based on various rumours/clues/hints I've heard all over the place.  
  
The Legend of the Pickle Weasel: Oh yes, it's true. I'm actually planning another chapter  
  
for my dear sweet pickle weasel tribe. Look forward to the exciting conclusion this weekend. 


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